A bike that won’t crash or tip over. A motorcycle so safe, that riders will not need to wear a helmet ever. A super smart two-wheeler without any springs or suspension, just a shape-changing frame that flexes in any direction. Sounds too good to be true? Brace yourselves as this is BMW’s vision for motorcycles of the future.
Sharing their innovative plans for the next 100 years of making motorcycles, BMW showcased the Vision Next 100 concept bike. The company says that this super smart bike, that looks like it rolled right out of a science fiction movie, is crash-proof and will eliminate the need for riders to wear helmets.
The bike will not have any suspension or shock absorbers, but instead will feature a flexible frame which will change its shape as the bike turns left or right. The only protection against bumps will be the bike’s two tyres.
The BMW Vision Next 100 concept also builds a bunch of smarts into the bike of the future. It will house self-balancing gyroscopes for unmatched stability and artificial intelligence enabled safety features. BMW says, “The BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 stands for the ultimate riding experience. Liberated from the need to wear a helmet and protective clothing, the rider is able to enjoy the forces. Acceleration, wind, and nature as in touch with the surrounding world, savoring every moment. The design of the BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 represents the essence of the motorcycle: the perfect synthesis between human and machine. Every detail is of the highest quality and the design incorporates all the most striking visual aspects of BMW Motorrad bikes across the ages.”
The BMW Vision Next 100 will also come with an augmented reality visor, which the company calls the ‘Digital Companion’. Since riders won’t have the need to mount a helmet on their heads, this smart visor (a step up from BMW’s HUD helmet) will display important data such as ideal lines and corner assistance, ride information, and more. The Digital Companion will alert the rider if the bike is not positioned properly. If the rider ignores this alert, the bike auto-positions itself and gains the correct posture. BMW also wants riders to be able to have an improved rear-view experience and looking up on the smart visor brings a rear-view camera to life.
Riders of BMW’s Vision Next 100 will also be wearing a smart, flexible suit which will help maintain an optimum body temperature, while providing support for long rides. It is predicted that the smart suit will send navigation instructions as vibration alerts to the left or the right arm of the rider. So who's up for a ride into the future?