PROJECTS
ZOOM Rih
Rih is a pure racing motorcycle concept, designed to be build in small series production.
It has been published all over the world in various countries and languages on every continent in web and print.
Statements:
Erik Buell: "Cool concept!"
Anthony West: "Too beautiful for a racebike"
LIAS mag: "A glorious way to die"
1000PS mag: "Suddenly everything else appears cheap."
Despite being a competitive sport-bike with no compromise in demands of performance, weight, aerodynamics and chassis, Rih enthuses with new ideas and concepts.
The design is based on the likeness of a motorbike and a living organism. Examples are the „breathing“ of air, the absorption of energy, the conversion to power and the skeletal structure of the frame, or the skin like fairing. The owner's reference to his machine is often emotionally alike to the relation to a precious animal.
The heart of the motorbike is the Aprilia RS V4-engine, whose ignition timing reminds of the dark sound of the MotoGP machines.
Having such a complex product like a motorbike there are ideas and innovations in every partition.
For example, frame and swingarm are not like common tube frames, designed with two-dimensional tube structures, but with traverse-shaped threedimensional tube structures, which makes the chassis stiffer where you want it to be stiff. The swinging lines appear like muscle strands and sinews.
The fairing is made of carbon fiber. The front leaning of the fairing seems aggressive and feisty. The big opening towards the cooling unit reminds of a wide hungry mouth.
To protect the bike in a low side crash, crash pads are placed on both sides on which the bike can slide to halt.
The windshield is seated on nostril shaped RAM airs and forms the whole front part. It appears complete and is easily removable. In its middle is a rhombic section behind which a camera for onboard video recording is hidden. The shape of the windshield and the blaze like safety screen of the camera bring a horse's face to mind.
The windshield is directly bolted together with the dashboard. A full digital element provides a simple and clear cockpit and allows the rider to record and analyze diverse data.
Also entirely new is the air system with its lung like membranes on the fuel tank. These shape the top of the airbox and make the intake process lucid. For instance, when one is accelerating in idle running the motor abruptly sucks in lots of air which results in low pressure in the airbox, made visible by the flexible membranes yielding to the inside – the motorbike breathes. This act helps the driver to better understand the activities in the motorbike and is advantageous in troubleshooting.
The ergonomical shaped tank unit provides the rider a feeling of riding his bike like a mount. Accordingly, the tank seat unit reminds of the back of a horse. The small elevation towards the filler neck imitates the shape of a spine and the voluminous form of the tank appears muscular.
The footpeg unit can be rotated and is mounted on the swingarm pivot to make an ergonimically customization possible. The footpeg itself is easily adjustible in length via three notches.
Even the design of the tires was not forgotten. A logo with thermochrome pigments is baked into their middle, which changes its color dependent on temperature. Thus one can observe when the tires reach the appropriate temperature frame, which is vitally important for the rider.
The name „Rih" originates in the stories of famous German writer Karl May, who describes his fictitious adventures in the Orient with himself as main figure Kara Ben Nemsi. Kara Ben Nemsi receives the famous black horse „Rih“ (Arabic: wind) as a gift. When he places his hands between the horse's ears and calls "Rih" the black stallion activates his last strengths and becomes even faster.
Karl May was incidentally born in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, where the Sachsenring circuit is located and the German Grand Prix of the royal league of motorbike sports, the MotoPG, is held annually.
The concept is designed to be realized in small series production which was, and still is, our target. Therefore we are constantly seeking for strong partners and sponsors.