Cars, cars, cars… All the latest tech seems to be about cars, but what about motorcycles? A while ago we talked about Harley-Davidson and its intention to sell electric motorcycles within the next five years. What we have here, though, reveals a much more advanced vision.
The folks at BMW are still celebrating their centenary, and under the title “The Next 100 Years”, they introduced their new concept: the Motorrad Vision, a motorcycle that always stays in balance with enough safety to put the helmet aside.
BMW was founded on March 7, 1916, but its history as a motorcycle manufacturer began a few years later. After the end of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles prohibited it from continuing to produce aircraft engines, and its first successful model in that new market was the R32 from 1923.
Obviously, in its centenary year, BMW's celebrations had to include a motorcycle, which leads us to the Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept. It packs everything we could expect from a futuristic motorcycle, and even a little more. The essence of the Motorrad brand is there, and its black triangular frame pays homage to the historic R32, but the concept places a lot of emphasis on “dynamics”, a word BMW repeated endlessly.
What does “dynamics” mean?
What exactly do they mean by dynamics? According to the available information, both the “zero-emissions” engine and the frame itself adapt to the conditions in which the rider is moving. In other words, the frame “bends” more and gains rigidity in high-speed situations. From a certain point of view, the Motorrad Vision Next 100 reminds us of variable-geometry fighter jets, and once stopped, its engine compresses, mimicking a kind of “accordion effect”. If that doesn't seem like enough, you might want to know that the Motorrad Vision Next 100 can maintain its balance and its support at the bottom is only for parking. Finally, BMW throws us a giant dose of augmented reality with a special visor that replaces traditional helmets, along with a special “bionic suit”.
The future without a helmet
One of the plans BMW has for future motorcycles and that it has presented with this concept is the elimination of the helmet. I am convinced that engineers can develop a model that is safe enough, but at the end of the day, the biggest problem is the human factor. Even if the rider does everything right, there will always be a drunk driver who sends the motorcyclist flying through the air...
For more information, visit the official site.
