Unit SkyCraft: 75kg ultra-lightweight freestyle MX bike

Off Topic Automotive News and Motorsports too:
#1

Not sure how many have heard about this already, still fairly hot off the press I suppose! A prototype FMX bike built through the collaboration of Unit and Triple Eight Race Engineering.

http://motocross.transworld.net/1000153962/features/inside-units-skycraft-fmx-machine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=inside-units-skycraft-fmx-machine

I guess the ideas here are nothing new, but as far as motorcycles go this has to be one of the most radical bikes ever built. Dirt bikes are already some of the lightest machines in the motorcycle world, but now they’re gone and made a purpose built FMX bike, even lighter than a regular dirt bike it weighs in at only 75kg (165lb)!! :eek:

The most exciting parts are a monocoque frame with integrated fuel cell, and the swingarm which has an integrated silencer. For any part that isn’t a composite, it looks like they threw in titanium wherever it would fit… What a crazy bike! :smiley:

Doing a bit of a search around I saw mention of this bike as far back as 2003, so this concept has been kicking around for quite a while. The earlier mockups show what looks like an alloy construction with the fuel cell under the seat. Perhaps composite technology and prices finally aligned so that the prototype was now feasible to build? Finally it was possible to truly realise the goal of a lightweight FMX bike?

So are you guys excited about this or what?! Something tells me that this type of thing is only going to become more and more common as time goes forward. Bring it on. :smiley:

Edited to add photos:

#2

Beautiful. But I’d want that rear guard made out of ABS not CF. Its likely to stab one badly in a fall.

#3

There are plenty of hard pointy parts on a bike that could stab a person, I bet they’d not be worried about the rear fender if they case a 100 ft. gap!

I’ve gotta wonder what it would be like to ride… although I’m not a dirt rider, I would put a pair of 17" wheels and sticky road rubber on. No matter how much power you have, there is nothing like a lightweight bike. I’ll be stalking the internet waiting for videos of this one!

#4

why does that weave look so broad?

#5

spread tow weave…

#6

The weave looks broad because it is broad… :stuck_out_tongue:

For the sake of discussion - what are the benefits of using spread tow? Because there is less crimping, the fabric can sit more flat and will be stronger, giving a lighter part of the same strength? It’s basically made from sections of unidirectional rather than round bundles (well perhaps not really, but just so I can get my head around it and try to think of the strength in the right way)?

I’m really surprised at what a mixed reception this bike has received on the motorcycling news websites and blogs, forums etc. It seems like the majority (or the most vocal) are convinced that it’s not going to be durable or strong enough. Pretty ridiculous to draw conclusions like that when the bike hasn’t even been ridden yet, and no one knows what kind of layup or construction was used. But I guess that is what you get when you put a keyboard in front of someone who believe themselves to be an expert because they read a Wikipedia article.

#7

I could use help in wet laying/vacuum bagging spread tow like this. The weave is very difficult to not mess up the weave while laying, squeeging or rolling.