The new bike, revealed at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, looks as fast as it does sharp. The annual Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como is the perfect place to show off feats of impressive vehicular design, and BMW never holds back. The Bavarians are well-known at the show, and this year, the design team is offering a glimpse into the faraway future of motorcycles with its BMW Motorrad Vision K18.
At its core, the BMW Motorrad Vision K18 is a re-paneled version of the R18, Bavaria's attempt at capturing the Harley-Davidson market. But the concept motorcycle actually looks like the future—or at least, one kind of future. With its sharp throughlines and angular body work, the Vision K18 seems like a two-wheeled rocket ship from the mind of Syd Mead, almost mimicking the light cycles made famous by the Tron trilogy.
View Price on AmazonWhether BMW's design team took inspiration from Mead remains a mystery, but the Vision K18 is certainly inspired by another feat of engineering, according to BMW. The sculptural, elongated formal language has been inspired by long-haul aviation, BMW says; the expansive saddle area mimics the delta wing of supersonic aircraft like the Concorde, while components like the LED headlight stack offer an angular contrast.
Bmw is particularly proud of its 1800-cc inline-six powerplant, offering 91 horsepower and 116 lb-ft of torque, and there's no shortage of design elements showing off its cylinder count. The Vision K18 has six intakes and six exhaust pipes, though these elements peek through the aluminum bodywork sparingly. Other notable features of the Vision K18 include hydraulically lowering suspension and special pieces of forged carbon bodywork.
Bmw's official press release is certainly happy to speak loftily of the concept bike. "It is an expression of attitude, design expertise, and a passion for extraordinary engine concepts," the release reads. "This guiding motif translates forward momentum into proportion and line: a downward overall gesture like an aircraft taking off, an arrow-shaped silhouette, and a presence reminiscent of a sprinter in the starting blocks."
Of course, this is merely a concept, unlikely to ever reach production. But BMW's primary focus here is extolling the virtues of its six-cylinder engine; as Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW Motorrad, said, "The inline six-cylinder is far more than an engine—it is a statement."
Source: roadandtrack.com
