FERRARI MOTORCYCLE?

Students of history, take note. When a hot new design appears, looking 'totally unlike anything you've ever seen', undoubtedly it's been done before! The case in point this month is a design for a Ferrari motorcycle, utilizing half an 'Enzo' V-8 motor in an extended chassis with conventional-ish suspension front and rear.

The design was created by an Israeli, Amir Glinik, and his computer-generated images have been circulating the web for a couple of weeks now (nice computer work, by the way; how much did THAT software cost? Check out his website; he has made 3d models of several Vintage motorcycles). While every moto-geek blogger has been alternately enraged/enthralled by his foray into the two-wheeled Italian Stallion, nobody has pointed out that his mockup bears a striking resemblance to the French Majestic, the 'New Motorcycle', of the late 1920's.

Now, the Majestic really WAS radical, with a twin-beam chassis and hub-center steering, and was also offered as a four-cylinder model, utilizing a Cleveland inline inlet-over-exhaust 4. I don't know if any '4s' were built beyond this prototype; all the Majestics I've seen have single-cylinder engines by Chaise or JAP. The Majestic was the embodiment of Art Deco chic, and as mentioned in an earlier post, could be purchased with a hand-applied 'crackle' or 'alligator' paint job. An amazing machine for its day, and even today!

Also not mentioned in any Ferrari-related press; there have been previous attempts to produce a two-wheel Ferrari, starting in the 1950s with a lightweight model of unspectacular design and specification (although this was unrelated to Enzo's factory). Designers from Modena have also contributed to motorcycle engineering recently, as they were hired by Cagiva to create a new motor for the prototype MV Agusta in 1995/6. Cagiva went on to design their 'own' engine for the MV, but used Ferrari's system of a fully radial 4-valve cylinder head.... also an old idea, having last been used by Rudge-Whitworth on their Ulster model in 1932! But, the Rudge wasn't DOHC, so Ferrari had to sort out all the associated technical issues.

I have to say, the engine is certainly appealing in this concept bike, but the overall impact is visually heavy... Usually when an automobile/motorcycle association is formed the result is disastrous. One only has to remember how Guigiaro ruined the exquisite Ducati 'round case' 750 twins, to create the ugly 1976 860GT, to understand my point. Colin Chapman of Lotus said it best; 'Simplicate and add lightness'.