If
you want to re-invent the proverbial wheel in the motorcycle industry, it seems
that the most popular place to start is the front suspension. Dozens of
companies have fielded hundreds of prototypes and the odd production model that
eschews the conventional telescopic fork for something more effective. It seems
that every few years an iconoclastic design emerges to tip the motorcycle world
on its head and correct the flaws of the traditional fork. One of the most
striking (and difficult to execute) alternative suspensions is the hub-centre
steered front wheel, and the undisputed current king of the hub-centre design
is Vyrus, based in Coriano, Italy.
Ascanio Rodorigo was a Bimota technician who joined the famous boutique
brand early on as a racing mechanic in the 1970s. He left the company in 1985
to form his own manufacturer, called ARP, where he produced custom components
for racing motorcycles. This experience is what allowed him to develop one of
the most advanced and avant-garde motorcycle designs of the modern era. He did the
unthinkable – build a bike that was so exclusive and so desirable that it would
make a typical Bimota owner green with envy, Not only that, he built a bike so
amazing that Bimota themselves licensed it for resale under their brand name.
But first, lets look at a bit of history and technology. Last week we
profiled the FFE 350 which featured a forkless front suspension steered via a
Foale’s type design. While the FFE is forkless, it is not a hub-centre steering
design, nor is James Parker’s RADD suspension – those are steered upright
designs. A hub centre suspension uses the same principles as a forkless front
end (using a swinging arm and shock to suspend the front wheel) but the wheel
itself is maneuvered via a king pin in the axle hub that yaws the front wheel
from side to side when it is rotated forward and backwards via a push-pull
linkage. The wheel pivots around the central axis of the wheel itself. You get
the same benefits as any other swinging arm front suspension – no dive or squat
or stiction, you isolate the steering from braking and accelerating forces,
very little lateral flex, and you can make a lighter and more minimalist
chassis because you aren’t channeling suspension forces into the headstock. The
only drawbacks are complexity, unfamiliarity, a wide steering lock, and a vague
feeling if there is any freeplay in the various bushings and bearings.
Hub-centre steering on motorcycles is not a new concept – it has existed
in two-wheeled designs for nearly a century - the Ner-a-Car of the 1920s had a
simple hub-centre design. The best-known modern production example, and the
inspiration for the Vyrus, is the Bimota Tesi.
The Tesi 1D was introduced in 1991 under the technical direction of
Pierluigi Marconi and wowed riders the world over with its radical suspension
setup and high-tech components, not to mention its exorbitant price tag.
Marconi had developed the hub-centre design in 1982 as a design thesis (hence
the name, Tesi is Italian for Thesis). The design was based on the Difazio
hub-centre assembly, which uses a floating axle riding through a king pin
inside an oversized front hub. Several prototypes were built and tested through
the 1980s, including one that used a Honda V4 and hydraulic steering
assistance. The production version was announced in 1987 but delayed until 1991
by financial difficulties (a common occurrence at Bimota). The production model
that was unveiled in 1991 ditched the V4 and complex hydraulic arrangement for
a simpler approach – tuned Ducati Desmoquattro L-twin and mechanical linkages
with no assist. The 1D saw several updates over the years, finally finishing
production in 1996 as Bimota geared up to build the infamous V-Due.
The original Tesi was flawed but served as inspiration for Rodorigo who
developed an updated hub-centre design in 2002. This machine would become the
Tesi 2D “Millenium”, introduced in 2004-05 when the brand was resurrected (for
a second time). He adapted the principles of the 1D but simplified the overall
design. The engine was now an air-cooled Ducati Desmodue 1000DS twin. The
suspension was refined and tweaked to improve on some of the complaints leveled
at the original Tesi. The suspension was damped by a unique springless air
assist shock mounted on the side of the bike, pivoting off the distinctive
Omega frame spars that used the engine as a stressed member. Styling was
decidedly modern and in keeping with Bimota’s new aesthetic direction – gone
were the soft curves and enveloping fairings of the 80s and 90s, here were
sharp angles and naked engineering. The Tesi 2D was a spectacular industrial
beauty that wore its mechanical bits on the outside for all to see.
If you read the press reports carefully, you’ll note that while the 2D
was announced, presented and promoted as a Bimota, Rodorigo and his “VDM/Vyrus”
brand were credited with the design, which was being licensed to Bimota. In
fact the Vyrus 984, named for the tuned 984cc Ducati twin it used for
motivation, had been around since 2003. If anything, Bimota’s involvement
served as a way to promote Vyrus as a viable manufacturer and develop a demand
for the stunning work emerging from Rodorigo’s garage. It was clear that Vyrus
was not some fly by night operation showing off a vaporware product – this was
the real deal, and it was impressing testers around the world. Without Bimota
homologating the bike for road use and providing it to journalists for review,
getting placement on magazines covers all over the world. With demand growing
fast, Rodorigo set about refining his design and developing new variants.
Vyruses are produced in what would be best described as an atelier. The
“factory” has an R&D department, prototyping workshop, spares warehouse,
assembly floor, offices, and a loading dock. All within the footprint of an
average motorcycle dealership, and not an especially big one at that. It makes
Bimota look cumbersome in comparison. And it emphasizes the unhurried, bespoke
approach Vyrus takes when assembling bikes. They aren’t churning out production
models for showrooms. They build individual bikes to order, and no two bikes
are the same.
You can order any Vyrus you like from the catalogue, in any
specification you please. The basic model is the 984 C3 2V, based on a classic
air-cooled Ducati 1000DS motor. Next up is the 985 C3 4V, which upped the ante
with a Testastretta liquid-cooled engine taken from a Ducati 999R. Once the
999cc motor became old hat, they introduced the 987 C3 4V with the 1198cc
Testastretta Evo engine out of a 1098R. The basic chassis is shared between all
the models. But this only tells half the story.
Options are limitless and every machine is built to order, in
consultation with the owner. Rodorigo will personally guide the buyer through
his or her options, which are mind boggling. Would you prefer titanium axles
and bolts? Maybe you’d like some carbon fibre oil cooler hoses? How about
carbon ceramic brakes? They will even custom map the engine to suit your riding
style (and skill level). Every single element of the bike is customizable, so
no two Vyruses are the same and every machine is tailored to suit the owner.
Retail prices are moot, because that is only the starting point. Needless to
say, they are terrifyingly expensive, starting around 60-odd thousand
excluding
options.
It’s a lot of money for a bike, but when you witness the quality
involved you simply can’t criticize. Rodorigo is proud to say every single
metal component – nuts, bolts, assemblies, axles – is CNC milled from solid.
The company coordinates with over 250 suppliers as well as prototyping and
making specialized components in-house, a staggering accomplishment when you
consider the whole operation is comprised of five people. Every
piece is of the highest quality and the finished bikes, regardless of the
specification, are absolutely mesmerizing to look at. Every single component is
a work of art, coming together to form an abstract rolling sculpture that
sounds like the end of the world and looks like a science fiction creation. The
design is not for everyone. People who are dead inside might think it’s a bit
ugly, while anyone with a pulse and an eye for detail will be utterly
gobsmacked by a Vyrus.
Performance is as impressive as the components. Vyrus is famous for its
incredulously lightweight machines. Rodorigo is quick to point out that his
“dry” weight measurements are obtained with all the fluids and the tires
installed, only the gasoline is omitted. So when Vyrus quotes 330lbs for the
984 and 350lbs for the 985/987, they mean it. That excludes optional
lightweight components like carbon fibre wheels and subframes – there is always
room for improvement, if your wallet can sustain it.
But what about that advanced chassis and hub centre front end? After
all, that’s the Vyrus’ real claim to fame. Reviewers heaped the expected praise
on the design – stable, undisturbed by dive or squat, and generally very
impressive to ride once you got used to the characteristics. They even reported
good feedback and feel from the front end, which is high praise for a hub
centre design. The only gripe was limited steering lock due to the narrow width
of the front swingarm.
Early versions shared the Tesi 2Ds air assisted shocks but later
versions abandoned the system for conventional coil-spring designs. In either
case the shock is mounted via a rising rate linkage. The chassis is clearly
inspired by the Tesi 1D, with box section aluminum swingarms at both ends
connected via a billet Omega frame spar bolted to either side of the engine.
Two simple subframes are bolted onto that, one for the seat, the other to
support the controls and instruments. The front end has two ball-jointed torque
arms connected to the brake caliper mounts, with the steering linkage on the
right side connected to a bell crank on the right hand frame spar. Geometry is
fully adjustable. The handlebars are arranged like a traditional set of
clip-ons around a vestigial top triple. I only mention the controls because
with a hub-centre design there is no need to maintain the traditional layout.
It could use a joystick for all that it matters. But some familiarity with
tradition is probably needed, lest they alienate anyone reared on common bikes.
In 2011 Vyrus made a surprise bid to join the new Moto2 category by
designing a new bike around the series-spec Honda CBR600RR powerplant. The 986
M2 appeared similar to the Ducati-powered offering at first glance, but had
some clear differences. The hub-centre front end was retained, but with a new
swingarm and a hydraulically assisted adjustable steering linkage. A new frame
was developed around the inline four, and it was clothed in a new set of
bodywork. Two versions were offered – a race-ready model with top spec
components for a little under $90 000 USD, and a street legal variant for
around $40 000. An engineless kit was in the works for around $27 000,
certainly the smartest option considering you can’t swing a dead possum without
hitting a salvage CBR600 up for grabs.
Unfortunately there were no takers for the Moto2 venture and the company
sold off the prototypes in 2012 - but not before Vyrus designed a new front
suspension assembly that incorporated what appears to be a steered upright. Why
they did this is not clear, and there hasn’t been any recent details on this
new suspension design. The Ducati-powered 984/985/987 models continue to use
the original design.
Perhaps strangest of all was the MiniVyrus project sold via LRG minibike
specialists in Italy. The MiniVyrus 07 EV was a miniaturized hub-centre design
build around a 40cc two-stroke pocketbike. Details are scant, but it is clear a
few examples were built (including one housed in the Barber Motorsports Museum)
and that they were stupendously expensive (as you'd expect) for a minibike at well over
5000$.
Vyrus continues to operate quietly, working on their backlog and
building some of the most spectacular bikes on the market. The most recent
model is the 984 Ultimate Edition announced (well, one was built and offered
for sale) this year, which maxes out the trick parts to reduce weight to a
scarcely believable 317lbs. That’s for a 992cc bike that is street legal,
complete with lights, mirrors and a starter motor. The only way you’ll get a
Ducati in that weight range is by stealing a WSBK-spec RS machine from the
paddocks and duct taping flashlights to the fairing.
Ascanio Rodorigo has gone from his humble wrench-spinning beginnings at
Bimota and built his Vyrus concept into an exclusive marque that produces some
of the most jaw-droppingly incredible street-legal motorcycles you can purchase
and stick a license plate onto. The unique hub-centre steering design developed
by Rodorigo and used on all his bikes is only one element of the innovation he
offers. His philosophy, of constant innovation and the use of the finest
components possible, are reflected by his company motto: "Questa รจ la mia
sfida!" which translates to "This is my challenge!".
wow nice bike. This blog post is really great, the quality information of this post is genuinely incredible.
ReplyDeleteThese type front end frames & steering geometry are fascinating, i have a number of super bikes , some pranged mostly cosmetic how does a person aquire a frame & front , rear end to build on to youre personal spec
ReplyDelete