Photo: Wired/Ashish Thulkar
Hot on the heels of last week’s talk of Bombardier Recreational Products reportedly showing interest in motorcycles again we have news of another Bombardier’s two-wheeled dreams.
Charles Bombardier (grandson of Joseph-Armand Bombardier, but working on his own designs, not BRP’s these days), has worked with Ashish Thulkar, a freelance industrial designer from the Indian Institute of Science, to draw up what he calls the Cyclotron, which Wired says is “inspired by the Tron Light Cycle and Lit Motors’ self-balancing C1.”
It’s an interesting take on the two-wheeler — Bombardier imagines a world where autonomous vehicle technology is widespread enough to integrate it into this two-wheeler, leaving the two passengers able to ignore the work of riding (driving?) and face each other. The passengers wouldn’t have to worry about balancing the motorcycle — that would be accomplished by a gyroscope, same as the C1.
The Cyclotron would be powered by an electric motor, and it would have two-wheel-drive when needed, or single-wheel drive to conserve battery power.
For now, the Cyclotron is just a dream, not close to reality. But if it interests you, see more of Bombardier’s design here on Wired.
If I want to be driven around I’ll take a taxi or the bus.