Spirit ES1: The Revolutionary New British Superbike
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There's nothing new here. Frameless motorcycles are all around you: they're called BMW R1100s. And so are Vincents, though you don't see so many of those these days. The so-called 'radical' aerodynamics amount to putting the rider behind the engine to reduce frontal area, which simply means lengthening the wheelbase and spreading the weight of engine and rider along it, which will adversely affect manoeuvrability by making it difficult to achieve centralisation of mass, though most people who buy one (if it ever reaches production) won't ride it hard enough to notice. Pitching, or moments of inertia about the transverse axis, will be the issue. As for the brakes, well, they're just off a Buell, and the torsion springing was last tried on Suzuki's unloved TL1000S, though back in the fifties it was popular with several mid-weight European bikes. The double chain run final transmission is hopeless, though, a real mess both aesthetically and otherwise, and it shows that they just haven't thought about it properly. They want the rider's heels on the rear axle, almost, and that means tucking the chain out of the way. The real answer would be to design the engine so that the drive comes out nearer the middle of the gearbox, but I guess they're using a donor engine and can't afford to design their own motor. BMW's piggy-back transmission and high-exit belt drive on the new F800 almost solves the problem for them, but it seems they ignored that. Nope, sorry, but this is another superbike that will stay on the drawing board.
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I don't see a "revolutionary superbike."
I see two guys playing with a model.
As mentioned, the frame-less chassis has been done before. See the Britten V-1000.
Another alternative front end. Will it work? I guess they have to build an actual runner first.
Buell-like front brake.
To all F1 guys building motorcycles: You might want to talk to the Ilmor chaps. It ain't as easy as it looks.
Good luck to them none the less.
I see two guys playing with a model.
As mentioned, the frame-less chassis has been done before. See the Britten V-1000.
Another alternative front end. Will it work? I guess they have to build an actual runner first.
Buell-like front brake.
To all F1 guys building motorcycles: You might want to talk to the Ilmor chaps. It ain't as easy as it looks.
Good luck to them none the less.
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285 Posts
Unless I'm mistaken, the TL has a rotary damper system on the rear, but not a torsion spring. These guys seem to thing they can apply F1 suspension technology to a sportbike. I have no clue if it will work, but that's part of the fun.
Whether or not any one of their atypical design elements have been used before isn't exactly the point though. It's an interesting study in a different sporting configuration, that could potentially have benefits. I look forward to seeing what, if anything, becomes of it.
Whether or not any one of their atypical design elements have been used before isn't exactly the point though. It's an interesting study in a different sporting configuration, that could potentially have benefits. I look forward to seeing what, if anything, becomes of it.
This is news? A couple of guys playing with a toy model that rehashes some existing ideas and adds one or two new ones? The title should be...
"Spirit ES1: The Somewhat new British Superbike Concept"
Oh and the name...."Spirit ES1".....please....it sounds like a new feminine hygiene product.
"Spirit ES1: The Somewhat new British Superbike Concept"
Oh and the name...."Spirit ES1".....please....it sounds like a new feminine hygiene product.
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5,449 Posts
Re: Once he was a little green slab of clay...
I half expected GUMBY to jump on in the middle of the video. Or the GEICO lizard...
Why do all the F1 newbie bike designers INSIST on some wacky front fork/steering gizmo? Give me some phorks & bars, please.
And what's with the countershaft/jackshaft deal? Just what I need, two chains to adjust...
Rotsa ruck. The sun has set on the British Emipre, or so it seems. Maybe it'll leak oil for effect.
I half expected GUMBY to jump on in the middle of the video. Or the GEICO lizard...
Why do all the F1 newbie bike designers INSIST on some wacky front fork/steering gizmo? Give me some phorks & bars, please.
And what's with the countershaft/jackshaft deal? Just what I need, two chains to adjust...
Rotsa ruck. The sun has set on the British Emipre, or so it seems. Maybe it'll leak oil for effect.
So I hope that guy's name is **** Glover; I didn't hear the G when he was introduced.
I love how they say it will be faster and have better handling than a MotoGP bike and we're just supposed to believe them. "Oh, I see, you're making the best motorcycle on the planet, interesting."
I love how they say it will be faster and have better handling than a MotoGP bike and we're just supposed to believe them. "Oh, I see, you're making the best motorcycle on the planet, interesting."
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You say that like it's a problem or something.
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Doubting Thomas!
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It's another investment scam.
I couldn't believe the comment from the supposed engineer that they were going to put the handlebars on the fork instead of the frame. WTF?
The Scam:
1- Come up with a "new" idea.
2-Get some media shill (in this case MCN) to help you spew a bunch of PR boolshyt.
3-Tell people that they can get in on the ground floor if they invest today!
Worked for Excelsior-Henderson.
I couldn't believe the comment from the supposed engineer that they were going to put the handlebars on the fork instead of the frame. WTF?
The Scam:
1- Come up with a "new" idea.
2-Get some media shill (in this case MCN) to help you spew a bunch of PR boolshyt.
3-Tell people that they can get in on the ground floor if they invest today!
Worked for Excelsior-Henderson.
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