Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126490
o 00 0) ~ 00 1-0 Q) ..c o ... u o Porsche, one of the most revered. names in) automotive design, has provided motorcyclists with a glimpse into th~ future oftheir sport via a uni9ue "design exercise'" performed in 1 tollaborauon " with influeDtial German the 1n.'''72..rinfO ------ Das MotomJd. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche is tile IfUICI- of die maD who f 'geed the oripW VoIJIswaFn and Ebr spans cara which made the family ume famous. IV now beads tbe Poncbe Deai~ group in ZelI·am·See, A~~, wbieh it ~le for all mlUlDer of, thiJI&s &om ~a..er to cbiJcken', car Rats aDd ppa. . In recent yean the group bas done a larF UDOUJU of work in the motoJe,de field and Poncbe ~ cIcofiaitrIy- lea (WO·wbeeled t:raDIport 1IIaYi1w alipificant pan in the IOCial ad ea-omic fabric of the DeXt d. g-MDg tweaty yon. Whm ~ by "Das lrIottm'Gll" to . a _ q d e "for 1990," PondIlt'Iint ccllllideftd what role two- whedrnweUlptayin'fub:arelOCiety, He lea tbem .. playing an iDcl'UliJlcly ~t role itt the ~ af.,. fieW. clue to ~. me z " ,a,,&o:y by pbal infIatioD. I peaaI pries aacllltriIrkiDg 8 'or -lIlY people in the 1990'.. the IIlCItOrCyCIe may well be the only a1ternanw to the bus. Can for the average citizen might well be the luxury they were in the grim years following World War II. Poncbe's "futureb.ike,'· therefore. is an unusual, but naggeringly logical. daign which featura almost total end_re. . . . down to the wheels ~. His feeIiDg it tbal the madriDe of die futut:e needs to be IODIething tbat caD be ridden itt all but the foulat weatller without any prot«tiw clothing. It abo IIUIIt be limple eaougIl to be riddeIl' safety by neo' the IDOIl ~ novice. Poncbe cbole the Yamalla SR580 .. the baR £or- his "futurebike." IV_ ita economical but ~paratiYe1y powerful engine, plus ita ligbt ~ aDd compact bulk, as the best all· -00 ~ of motoreycle. ~erful eoough £Or JoDg diltanc:r wort. but abo easy to ride aDd economical £or the CODUDuter. ' IV has replaced the chain ~ with a shaft beca_.it Itays dean aDd reqWns' GO mairIIeeaDce. A dwIis aids a neat eacbure of the entire Jar of the IIIaCbine and it c:ombiDed with a Ponche·~ adjaItabie Rat. The ha:ndlebu1I are abo aclja.-a.,Je. both ill vertical and bolizoDt&l pIaaea. which mea.. that the Ponc:be·Yamaba it capable of accomodating r.arious Iizn el ridmi at eM pub of a couple of mIJII'I)IIh!d IMlCtooI. The full aacIcIIuR is in moaldcd plastic, reinforced with a g1l1111fibtt mixture at points where inte'llle heat is likely to be gmerated. The enclosure incorporates luggage compal1J'llenU and a fairing which protecU the rider from both bad weather and minor impacu. In the event of a major crash such as a head-on collision with a car, built· in knee protectors are dc:signed in such a war as to 'launch the rider up aDd, hopefully, over the other vehicle,