Rendered for Your Pleasure: Subaru WRX-powered Kickboxer motorcycle concept
KickBoxer motorcycle concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
There's a longstanding tradition of using horizontally-opposed boxer engines in motorcycles – and not just from BMW – the flat configuration has found a home in a slew of two-wheelers ranging from Russia's Ural to the current Honda Goldwing. So, it's not too much of a stretch to wonder how Subaru's well-known flat-four engine would work in a bike.
At least one man has decided to find out. According to The Kneeslider, Ian McElroy taught himself Solidworks just so he could create the KickBoxer motorcycle concept, which marries the aforementioned liquid-cooled boxer engine from Subaru to a futuristic motorcycle chassis that features single-sided swingarms front and rear along with hub-center steering.
We're not entirely sold on some of the details, but it sure looks like fun. Even a bone-stock turbocharged WRX powerplant should equal a rather favorable power-to-weight ratio, wouldn't you say? At this point, the KickBoxer exists only on paper and computer files, but McElroy says he'd love to see the machine put into small-scale production. As would we.
Check out our high-res gallery below, and for more images, click here.
Gallery: KickBoxer Motorcycle Concept
[Source: The Kneeslider, Flickr]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
risk 5:01PM (10/27/2009)
who designed this ugly peice of turd?
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Temple 11:17PM (10/27/2009)
Excuse me? Bike looks amazing.
It has that Confederate B91 Wraith look it it. Also, it looks like it has the swing-arm front suspension design like the Bimota Tesi IDs.
Shiftright 11:24PM (10/27/2009)
I agree...Butt fugly...Only cool thing is that it uses a Subie motor.
Icon149 6:16AM (10/28/2009)
This is is a beautifully Designed concept and Mad props to whipping it up in Solidworks, that is no easy task in itself.
Now I'm not sure i want the inside of my thighs on that engine... pretty sure it would get warm... I wonder if carbon fiber cylinder heads or at least covers would keep it tolerable.
Build it! this is 100 x cooler than the unoriginal ordered from catalog bolted together and custom painted "cruisers" that so many "custom" bike builders are trying to pass off as custom.
Autoblog more like this! these are the guys that deserve the coverage and the publicity!
DJ_Swammi 5:02PM (10/27/2009)
Very cool, but where does the person go?
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larry raines 5:03PM (10/27/2009)
reminds me of that crazy Subaru ATV someone built, that actually works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe_mS_ucYCM
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DiRF 5:08PM (10/27/2009)
That just might give the Corley motorcycles a run for their money on the Old Mine Road...
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Tim 5:12PM (10/27/2009)
Yeah... those sideways mounted intercoolers are gonna be really effective.
The fact that the dude "taught himself Solidworks" in order to "design" this tells me all I need to know.
I realize that you guys "Obsessively Cover the Auto Industry", but these joe-schmoe renderings of "concept" vehicles are getting ridiculous.
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Doogie Fullhouser 8:07PM (10/27/2009)
Yeah man, cause nobody ever mounts any kind of radiator laterally on a motorcycle ever. cough-VFR-cough.
And these Joe-Schmo renderings occasionally get turned into real machines because of the coverage they receive in the press. There was a guy out of FL a few years back that did the exact same thing.
I want more of this kind of coverage, the real niche stuff. The things that are pushing the bounds of automotive design. The grass roots are where all of these trends get started.
But there will always be Luddites, nincompoops and haters.
RamblinReck89 5:19PM (10/27/2009)
An engine of this size would probably have a better application in a cruiser.
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Carlos 5:25PM (10/27/2009)
What is up with these debby downers? Jeeze guys, I thought this website was full of auto enthusiasts not 16 year old magazine racers.
Any who it reminds me of that bike that Voodoo(sp?) makes
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Bob 6:07PM (10/27/2009)
Well said Carlos.
A simple challenge to any of the folks taking cheap shots at the McElroy concept: Show us what you've designed lately.
Doogie Fullhouser 8:06PM (10/27/2009)
A voice of reason! I must have clicked away from Autoblog... huh...
AMG Powerrr 5:26PM (10/27/2009)
All things with a Subaru flat-four are cool!
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MajorGeek 5:33PM (10/27/2009)
Similar design to Confederate motorcycles. I am on the fence leaning towards no. Kudos for design though.
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BoxerFanatic 6:00PM (10/27/2009)
Two words: HOLY HELL.
I drive that sort of engine in a CAR, and it is pretty darn quick. On a BIKE, it would be downright fool-hardy.
The design certainly is interesting, if not beautiful. It is vaguely like the Tomahawk Viper V10 in a 4-wheeled scissor-suspension "bike", the term being used loosely.
I think a BMW HP2 Sport with a boxer twin would be quite more than enough for me, thanks. Even a regular R1200R or R1200S would be fine.
This thing is bonkers.
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Glock23 8:24AM (10/28/2009)
Two Words: Tomahawk Ripoff
Sorry it was already done 5 years ago.
Shamdiddly 9:23AM (10/28/2009)
Are you sure you want to call this a ripoff of the tomahawk, Glock?
Following your reasoning, the tomahawk must be a ripoff of the chevy v-8 powered bikes that preceded them.
phanteh 6:06PM (10/27/2009)
Well, it's pretty cool, but I don't see it ever being produced in its current form.
Anyone know if single-sided hub-center steering has been done before?
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twg 6:34PM (10/27/2009)
"Anyone know if single-sided hub-center steering has been done before?"
Yamaha GTS1000
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