The Futuristic Lotus C-01 Motorcycle Heads for Production

[TonyBKK]

Ezekiel Wheeler
MARCH 24, 2014

Germany’s Lotus Motorcycles has teamed up with the German conceptual-vehicle designer Daniel Simon to create the C-01 motorcycle. While Simon’s best-known work includes the light cycles seen in the 2010 film Tron: Legacy and the bubble copter in the 2013 film Oblivion, he is regarded in the automotive world for his work at Bugatti. The C-01 motorcycle features a 200 hp, four-stroke, 2-cylinder V-twin engine (a modified version of KTM’s 1,195 cc engine), which is draped underneath a carbon-fiber shell and sits neatly in a frame of an aerospace steel, titanium, and carbon fiber. The C-01, which indeed looks like it belongs in a science-fiction movie, is more than a mere two-wheel fantasy. Lotus Motorcycles (whose name was licensed from the British carmaker) has confirmed that it plans to put the C-01 motorcycle into production starting next month. The company says that production versions of the bike (about $139,000) should emerge from the factory in August. (www.lotus-motorcycles.com)

More pics at the link: http://robbreport.com/automobiles/futuristic-lotus-c-01-motorcycle-heads-production?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=relatedlinks&utm_campaign=autos#sthash.cE6x2302.dpuf

 

[Ian Bungy]

Very Radical! Conventional Twin Rear Shocks seems a little Old School compared to the rest of the Bike? There will have to be some changes for a Production version? Mudguards, Lights, Indicators, Number Plate mounting etc? And What a Price Tag!!!

 

[KZ25]

The numbers are very impressive, aerospace steel, titanium, and carbon fiber sounds impressive, but somehow the whole thing leaves me cold.

Can't see the engine under that hanging capsule, the thing looks like a guppy to me, not surprised the designer also did the 'bubble' copter.

Then there's the price ($139,000 really?!) plus the borrowed name from Lotus who have nothing to do with this bike.

Let's see, for that kind of money I could buy a top-of-the-line BMW, and a KTM, and a Triumph, and a Aprilia, and a MV Agusta, and a Harley and another BMW.

Then I had a garage full of cool usable bikes, one for every day of the week. But this "Lotus" will not do lots of miles on public roads.

Some billionaires will buy this bike and it'll sit in a showroom; who'd risk letting someone ride a bike like this? Several will go to the Saudi Arabia region.

Nah, this isn't a motorcycle in my book, this is an investment for super-rich farts who will make money off it simply because they had it in the first place.

 

[TonyBKK]

KZ25;298481 wrote: The numbers are very impressive, aerospace steel, titanium, and carbon fiber sounds impressive, but somehow the whole thing leaves me cold.

Can't see the engine under that hanging capsule, the thing looks like a guppy to me, not surprised the designer also did the 'bubble' copter.

Then there's the price ($139,000 really?!) plus the borrowed name from Lotus who have nothing to do with this bike.

Let's see, for that kind of money I could buy a top-of-the-line BMW, and a KTM, and a Triumph, and a Aprilia, and a MV Agusta, and a Harley and another BMW.

Then I had a garage full of cool usable bikes, one for every day of the week. But this "Lotus" will not do lots of miles on public roads.

Some billionaires will buy this bike and it'll sit in a showroom; who'd risk letting someone ride a bike like this? Several will go to the Saudi Arabia region.

Nah, this isn't a motorcycle in my book, this is an investment for super-rich farts who will make money off it simply because they had it in the first place.

There are some rich guys who actually do get out and ride, you know? Jay Leno on his MTT Y2K Jet Bike comes to mind

There's a long list of bikes in the >US$100k range and they do get ridden :thumbup:

Of course this new C-01 is a plaything for the rich, and you seem to resent that... Personally I think such beautiful and unique machines are inspirational. It's a piece of art really- how do you value beauty?

 

[KZ25]

Right, I see Jay on his jet bike about every day on his way to the studio! Dayly runner, that one is.

Unique for sure, but this bike is not beautiful in my eyes. And it's not built to be ridden. I challenge anybody to stay on that bike close to top speed (200+ km/h) for a couple of hours or so, without wind protection. I mean if it has 200 hp you should use them, right?
It just doesn't make sense.
Like I said, the numbers are impressive but it's not a motorcycle (I define motorcycle as something you can actually use), it's a statement that it can be done, with a borrowed famous name, and at that price it doesn't make much sense besides being an investment.

I agree that it's a piece of art and like most of these objects it will probably end up in a dry, warm place.

Give me an MV Agusta, some "Oro version" with all the goodies, for $40K, I could feast my eyes on that and actually ride it every day. And have saved $100K.

But for those who think this bike is a beauty, go ahead and enjoy, don't mind me. I'm just cranky because I can't afford one.

 

[ronwebb]

KZ25;298531 wrote: I'm just cranky because I can't afford one.

I love your honesty here KZ25. I am inclined to say that, for me, its all good with this bike as the automotive/motorcycle industry needs needs stuff like this to keep things interesting and innovative.
The reality is however, its most likely that the few bikes that are made will probably end up in a museum somewhere. But hey, bless them for doing something out of the box.

 

[rhiekel]

TonyBKK;298497 wrote: There are some rich guys who actually do get out and ride, you know? Jay Leno on his MTT Y2K Jet Bike comes to mind

There's a long list of bikes in the >US$100k range and they do get ridden :thumbup:

Of course this new C-01 is a plaything for the rich, and you seem to resent that... Personally I think such beautiful and unique machines are inspirational. It's a piece of art really- how do you value beauty?

I had ridden to the Rock Store on a day when Jay came on the jet bike. The bike was impressive to say the least. The craftsmanship was amazing as well. Guess he had come on the bike a few weeks before, and the exhaust had singed a few bikes that were parked close to him..... So when he parked this time, everyone with a bike nearby to him came rushing over to move their bikes away...
The last time I had talked to him, I was on a Honda 650 Turbo that looked like it came off the assembly line. He said really liked the 650 turbo, and wished he had one....At that time he was on a Vincent Black Shadow that also looked like it come off an assembly line. At that time he said he had trouble keeping up with his faster riding friends on his older classic bikes. So when I saw him on the jet bike, I told him he should have no trouble keeping now, since he was now on a 300 + mph bike. He laughed, said he had no idea what the the top speed of the bike was, and that he had no intention of finding out.... He also said he had to have a fuel tanker truck follow him around to fuel the bike every 50 miles as I recall with Jet A........
There was something truly eerie about hearing the click click click start of a turbine engine, but there is a bike sitting in front of you. ...... Jay paid 150,000 dollars for this bike as I recall.

 

[TonyBKK]

^ Yep! I never get tired of listening to him fire up that jet bike! Must sound even more impressive up close and personal!

 

[KZ25]

"I'm just cranky because I can't afford one."

ronwebb;298533 wrote: I love your honesty here KZ25. I am inclined to say that, for me, its all good with this bike as the automotive/motorcycle industry needs needs stuff like this to keep things interesting and innovative.
The reality is however, its most likely that the few bikes that are made will probably end up in a museum somewhere. But hey, bless them for doing something out of the box.

But if I could afford one I wouldn't buy one! I'd rather get the jet bike....

I watched a video where Jay, stuck in traffic, melted the bumper of the car behind him.