6 show-stopping concept bikes

1. Vespa 46
Almost five years ago, legendary Italian scooter brand Vespa uncovered a tribute to its 1946 MP6 scooter at the 2011 EICMA show in Milan. It eventually went on sale looking very much like the original and then ultra-modern looking concept model, albeit named the 946. We wonder if a certain racer who has made a lot of money out of the No. 46 brand had something to say to about its original name…

2. Suzuki Stratosphere
Surely one of the Japanese brand’s coolest concepts, the Stratosphere took a 180hp 1100cc six-cylinder engine, bolted it into a modern Katana-esque nakedbike chassis and dropped jaws all over the world when it whipped the covers off it at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. The Stratosphere concept was one of many mid-2000s machines that we wonder what could have eventuated if it wasn’t for the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.

3. Kawasaki J Trike
Six years after Yamaha’s road-going four-wheeled leaning Tesseract concept, Kawasaki unveiled a remarkably unconventional multi-wheeled leaning concept of its own at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. Bearing the rather unremarkable J Trike name, the electric-powered contraption employed a sophisticated two-wheeled front-end like the many multi-wheeled concepts we’ve seen from its compatriots over the years, but it had another defining trick up its sleeve. At the push of a button, the J Trike would change from a weight-forward front-wheels together sportstrike, if you will, to a far more relaxed straight-backed, front-wheels apart tourer.

4. Victory CORE concept
Well before the American motorcycle manufacturer started spitting out concept models like they were cherry seeds, Victory Motorcycles challenged the world’s definition of a big American cruiser and unveiled the CORE Concept at the 2009 International Motorcycle Show in New York. In typical concept fashion, it was a display of form over function. It did frame the firm’s 106 cubic inch Freedom V-Twin engine of the time beautifully, but used good looking and woefully impractical materials like a mahogany timber solo seat, raw unpainted steel for the frame and the bodywork and no rear suspension at all.  

5. Honda EVO6
It was the eve of the Supernaked’s spike in popularity when Honda unveiled the 1832cc flat-six minimalist nakedbike at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show. It weighed half that of its engine’s donor bike the firm’s Goldwing luxury tourer. Looking every bit production ready with mirrors, indicators and a number-plate hanger, the EVO6 was a beauty. Though we fear the shockwaves of the GFC which would hit less than a year after the concept broke cover may have changed the Japanese firm’s intentions for good.

6. BMW R7 concept
This concept not only looks old — it is old! It was created by the German manufacturer way back in 1934 as a one-off concept bike to highlight its performance capabilities before being packed away in a crate and seemingly forgot about. Until one day, around 10 years ago, the top was cracked open and the bike inside restored to its brand-new all shiny and new glory. It did the rounds of the 2014 international motorcycle shows and wooed show-goers everywhere. Imagine what a one-off 81-year-old concept bike would sell for today!

7. Vectrix Superbike
It was 2007 in Milan when American e-bike firm unveiled its futuristic 200km/h electric-powered Superbike. Looking every bit the bike of the future it represented, the firm at the time vowed that if they received 500 pre-orders, it would turn the concept into production. It weighed 204kg, 64 of those were attributed to the battery, and it had a claimed range of 100km if you didn’t exceed 80km/h. It never made production and Vectrix filed for bankruptcy in early 2014.