Mac Motorcycle Spud Rendering (click to enlarge in new window)
I stumbled on a new British motorcycle company called Mac Motorcycles earlier today and have spent a great deal of testosterone filled minutes on their web site drooling over their renderings and sketches. When it comes to transportation design I have always held a utilitarian view. You definitely couldn’t call me a “car guy” nor a “motorcycle enthusiast” however, I have truly become a fan(atic) of the Mac Motorcycle designs.
Founder Ellis Pitt (motorcycle enthusiast) teamed up with Mark Wells and Ian Wride from Xenophya Design to create four different concepts that are sure to woo the masses.
Pea Shooter Sketch (click to enlarge in new window)
On creating the design brief, Pitt says, “I wanted to take something from the simplicity and non-conformity that unites the chopper builders with the philosophy of the Italian singles manufacturers from the 1950s and 1960s…Uniting all this in a belief that the riding experience and the stories that go with motorcycle journeys seem to have been sanitized by technology and plastic.”
Mac Motorcycle Roarer Sketch (click to enlarge in new window)
Design Brief:
• Simple to maintain.
• Nothing surplus-to-requirements.
• Chopper and bobber references/details.
• The lines of a rigid frame but with suspension.
• Use a Buell ‘Blast’ motor and exploit its shape.
• Harley posture, flat-tracker manners, Ducati handling.
• Exploit the power-to-weight ratio of a 500 cc single in a lightweight chassis.
• A return to the spirit of motorcycling – the journey is the experience / story.
Mac Motorcyle Pea Shooter Rendering (click to enlarge in new window)
Aside from the aesthetic beauty of these bikes, I love the fact that Mac Motorcycles is going with an efficient and lightweight 500 cc Buell ‘Blast’ motor and is not being influenced by the American Harley Davidson culture which demands bigger and bigger engines. After doing some fact checking, I found that a Harley Fat Boy LO has a ridiculous 1584 cc engine and only gets 35 mpg (35 L/100km) in the city. I would expect the Mac Motorcycles to get a great deal better gas mileage, upwards of 60 mpg, while still having a robust powerful appearance.
Mac Motorcycle Roarer Rendering (click to enlarge in new window)
No word yet on when these bikes will hit the market but I will let you know if I hear any news. I will try to get an interview with the Mac Motorcycle guys sometime this winter when I am in Europe so stayed tuned….
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
This is neat! Nice post and photos
Your site is working Adam. I love it, and I am inspired. Check this link out, I saw it on cool hunter.
http://www.pagegangster.com/p/hhbSM/
That’s an interesting site. It almost feels alive
That’s a nice pedal bike concept as well. I love the fact that the designer asks the question, “Can the character of [a] bike survive below the 1000 cc line?” I have often wondered the same myself. I look forward to seeing more and more transportation concepts that look great and have less environmental impact.