BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 Concept Breaks Cover

Based on a “flexframe,” the BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept eliminates the requirement of multiple inputs while steering.

Celebrating its centenary this year, BMW has created a number of concept vehicles under its various brands, providing a glimpse of its future products. The company showcased this fleet of virtual reality concept models in Los Angeles with the tagline, "The Next 100 Years," and it also includes the Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept motorcycle.

The BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept looks like a motorcycle, but it leaves all the laws of our rigidly traditional motorcycling behind. According to the company, the concept is based on a “flexframe” that extends from the front to the rear wheel and allows the bike to be steered without the various joints found on today’s motorcycles. To change the direction of the bike, the rider just has to turn the handlebar (slight input for low-speeds, while strong input for high-speeds) and the entire frame adjusts automatically. Moreover, it has a self-balancing system that keeps it upright whether the bike is standing or moving. In combination, the system enhances the safety factor, providing more confidence while changing directions at high speeds.

There is a large metal reflector at the front along with the daytime running lights (DRL), and the unit works as a wind deflector. The BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 also has a set of intelligent systems working in the background to collect data from its surroundings. One of the many futuristic systems of the bike is a “Digital Companion,” providing riding advice and adjustment ideas to optimise your ride experience. Another one has been named, “The Visor,” that is basically a pair of glasses with a controller working on eye movements. So, one can control and direct the bike by moving eyes with this unique device.

Everything in the BMW Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept is high-tech, but the company has tried to keep some essence of its first motorcycle, the 1923 R32, with the black triangle shape of the frame combined with the white trim lines and classic boxer engine form. Propelling the bike is a futuristic non-gasoline power source that stays small on idle and lengthens to enhance aerodynamics on moving the bike forward.

In a press statement, Edgar Heinrich, head of design at BMW Motorrad, said about "The Next 100 Years" concepts, “Normally when we develop a motorcycle, we tend to think five to 10 years in advance. On this occasion, we looked much further ahead and found … some very attractive prospects.” And the Motorrad Vision Next 100 concept confirms the same.