Lotus Motorcycles C-01 Brings Tron to the Real World

Some readers of this site will remember that I'm a bit of a motorcycle guy and even named a hardware review site after one,  (eg Ninjalane).  When I was in college I would pick up a copy of "Sport Rider" and followed many of the trends in World Superbike racing.  One of the controversial aspects of the sport was when outsiders attempted to enter competition with new bike designs and MV Agusta did so with the F4.  This was a Cagiva based motorcycle with an inline 4-cylinder engine that was co-designed with Ferrari.

Needless to say, I was impressed and have always wanted one.

It would seem another player has decided to hit the motorcycle scene, maybe not to race but to really show off what they can do.  Thing is, this company is better known for building high-end sports cars so you have to wonder what their motorcycle will eventually become.

The Lotus Motorcycles C-01, described by the creators as a “hyperbike,” is the creation of former Bugatti Automobiles designer Daniel Simon and Germany’s Kodewa racing team, who have licensed the U.K. sports-car manufacturer’s name. Holzer Group will carry out the development, production, and assembly of the machine.

The motorcycle will be produced in a limited run of 100 units and is the two-wheeled equivalent of such ultra-exotic cars as the Italian Pagani Huayra.

I have to admit I'm not impressed with the overall styling, the bike looks dated and not unlike a British cafe racer but, it is made from exotic materials and generally looks fun to ride.  Given that only 100 will be built you can be assured that 98 of them will likely never see more than 2000 miles.

Related Web URL: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-24/lo...