Lean Machine: Ferrari V4 superbike concept
This may not be the first effort at creating a Ferrari motorcycle, but it may very well be the best. Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari, the departed son of company founder Enzo, was said to have raced specially-prepared motorcycles in the 1950s. In the 1970s, Kay Engineering crafted a racing bike, now said to be worth half a million dollars, with full factory backing to honor Enzo Ferrari. In the '80s, legendary motorcycle designer Arlen Ness styled a one-off chopper on the Testarossa, while some guy named George crafted a pair of Ferrari-powered superbikes. Last year someone built a custom Scuderia Ferrari chopper for the retiring Michael Schumacher (who has since been trying his hand at motorbike racing), and earlier this year a collector crafted a model of what a Ferrari sportbike could look like. We're sure some more will be brought to our attention in the comments below, but while some of these creations have been more convincing than others, this one has to be the slickest.
The concept motorbike is the work of Israeli designer Amir Glinik, who centered his design around the theoretical application of the Ferrari Enzo's V12 engine, chopped down to four cylinders and modified to drive just one wheel in a motorcycle frame. Around the V4 engine, Glinik has designed a fluid shape that may appear more futuristic in its styling than inspired by current roadcar designs, but certainly catches your attention. Glinik has even planned out the theoretical controls, which blend elements from an F-16 fighter jet (more common in his home country than Ferraris, anyway) and the Scuderia's high-tech Formula One steering wheel, supplemented by a weatherproof touch-screen LCD atop the fuel tank.
Onetime Ferrari designer Frank Stephenson, now at arch-rival McLaren, was quoted as saying that the closest the average person will get to owning a Ferrari would be a Ducati. True as that may be, what you see here may be the most well thought-out and enticing application of the Ferrari ethos to two-wheeled motoring we've seen yet. Follow the link for more information, and check out the images in the gallery below for a closer look.
Gallery: Ferrari motorbike concept
[Source: Industrial & Art via Luxist]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Golferal 11:07AM (9/24/2008)
Holy Jesus that is awesome!
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Ed 11:41AM (9/24/2008)
I disagree. Looks ugly ugly ugly. Looks like something out of a 5 year olds motorcycle video game. Much nicer concepts hear in the US.
I think I lost my appetite. Thanks autoblog.
Golferal 12:55PM (9/24/2008)
I think you lost your eyesight too.
Tristan 2:08PM (9/24/2008)
this bike looks like Karim Rashid designed it when he was 4!!! nastiest thing i have seen in along time. not a single bit italian.
if u like this thing god be with u!
crafty 6:16PM (10/02/2008)
This has to be the best looking "CONCEPT BIKE" to date.
All you blind idiots that think it's ugly are stuck way back in the 1930's When the Brough Superior reigned supreme. Yes it was state of the art back then but it was still a bicycle with an engine and wouldn't hold a candle to ANY 250cc JAPANESE bike today.
If everyone had you blind sight we would STILL be driving our cars & motorcycles at 4MPH with a guy in front waving a red flag.
Yes it is flawed but its a bloody good start.
stevereportdotcom 11:09AM (9/24/2008)
Just 2 questions:
1. how fast does it go?
2. who do I give my check to?
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Keith 11:12AM (9/24/2008)
Akira Bike!
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swimstarguy 11:23AM (9/24/2008)
My first thoughts as well...
MasterCKO 12:43PM (9/24/2008)
it would be the Akira bike if that bike were a sportbike and not a cruiser. But yeah, I see it, too. 8^)
ugg.tryptophan 5:38PM (9/24/2008)
Tetsuoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!
trypticon 3:07PM (9/25/2008)
Kaaaneeedaaaaaa!!
MajorGeek 11:13AM (9/24/2008)
WOW! For all the dissing I do over Ferrari and their crap like the laptop, Segway and whatever else, THAT is one beautiful machine. Build it. Now.
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Jei 11:14AM (9/24/2008)
WOW!
It's looks like it belongs a PS3/XBox video game, but I can imagine seeing one on the streets of Miami, LA, etc. Who knows what the Stig at TopGear would do with that!
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bigbear7787 11:17AM (9/24/2008)
you guys must be smoking... this thing if F#@king hideous
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bilbo baggins 11:21AM (9/24/2008)
THANK YOU ! For a moment after reading all those comments above I was wondering if somethings wrong with "me". Its Hideous ugly. Its just big read and bulbous, belongs straight to the animation movie like "CARS" or call it "BIKES".
Mike 11:28AM (9/24/2008)
Yeah it's totally busted.
BUT...
Take a look at the gallery. Look at the hardware under that swoopy, stupid skin: it's bad ass!
Take that nasty shell off the bike, put a sharply angled tank and seat above that engine and you'll have the sickest bike on the road!
pmalik 11:31AM (9/24/2008)
Fvcking hideous, the first 5 posters are obviously esthetically challenged. It looks like 5 lbs of playdough stretched over a sport bike frame. No lines, no curves, no dynamics... just a bunch of melted plastic.
For the record, I ride an 05 R6 raven...
AutoXN 11:34AM (9/24/2008)
I agree. It looks like Max Rebo from Starwars. aka Blue elephant type thing.
hhsohn 11:59AM (9/24/2008)
Given where the rear cylinders, exhaust pipes, and the seats are located, you're gonna end up with roasted ass.
Even if it looks nice to some, the moment anyone sit on it, it'll look like a nice bike with a sack of potato on it.
Torrent 1:19PM (9/24/2008)
it's like an overfed squid.
oh the treachery.