A little over a year ago we mentioned the news that Tim Cameron’s Dreambike was going to take the leap from computer screen to metal and rubber. This week, the Dreambike, now known as the V-Rex, is being shown in Daytona and it looks like it made the jump without any changes, the computer model and the actual prototype look identical. Seeing this design on the computer screen for the first time, it looked amazing but thinking it would actually be built brings up all of the issues of how you actually carry it off. Looks like they did just fine. Power comes from a Harley Davidson Revolution V-Twin engine.
Christian Travert, designer of the Y2K jetbike, is the man behind the V-Rex build and his company, Travertson Motorcycles of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is also building the VR-2, another of Cameron’s designs.
What’s even more impressive about this project is the V-Rex isn’t going to be a one off show bike, five more have already been sold to customers. Very cool.
I look forward to seeing more of Tim Cameron’s designs come to life as well as the work of some of the other excellent designers we’ve seen. If the computer design is well thought out, Christian Travert has just proven there’s no reason they can’t be built. Nice work!
Another photo and links below:
Link: Travertson Motorcycles
Link: Tim Cameron Design
Related: Tim Cameron’s Dreambike Being Built
{ 16 comments… add yours below ... }
Hmm I`m impressed it looks really cool, to me!!
People will turn heads when you ride this bike.
Where can I buy one?!!
I liked the computer generated one the first time I saw it. I looks a bit like Kaneda’s bike in Akira (the only feet-forward I’ve ever liked).
The real life one (complete with bikini chick) is so much better.
It reminds us that dreams sometimes do come true. And that those dreams can then be passed along to other people in exchange for many tens of thousands of dollars (thereby realizing another dream, that of having piles and piles of money).
Who wouldn’t like that?
Woah! Looks like something out of a science fiction movie. Very cool, I have to say. You wouldn’t turn heads on that, you would snap necks. Where do I sign?
A bit overdone to my taste, but it is futuristic. The Kaneda’s bike is more on the recumbent side than just feet-forward, but yeah, there’s something to it.
don’t know if i’d buy it (even if i could afford it) but i really like it. anybody know how that thing steers? i don’t see any linkage or room for the front wheel to turn.
cool.
and watercooled?!?! wow - someone with the balls to avoid an evolution clone….
From the look of the front end, my guess is that this is not a runner. Just a mostly mock up for looks.
And speaking of looks, dump the jail bait wanna be.
i went to tim cameron’s site and it DOES indeed steer. the geometry is very much like a chopper. i don’t know what you call this style of front end, but it’s kinda like on a Ural. only REALLY stretched out.
Which end is the front?
That is one sweet bike!! Part sport, part cruiser….very futuristic.
As for the steering, its call hub-centric streering and its supposed to have many performance advantages.
it looks like a highly stylized form of earles forks. the two “arms” appear to move with the wheel, both for suspension and steering. a shock can be seen behind the wheel, between the “arms”. the pivot for the front suspension is mounted to a component that looks to be attached directly to the steering stem. if I’m right here, there is not a lot of advantages here, but quite a few disadvantages - a high moment steering assembly, dive under braking, shortening wheelbase under bump/braking - and it looks like it’s got negative trail! the last one might scare me off, but all the other potential problems wouldn’t worry me - I’ll take 2, and when I want to do some spirited riding, my dream garage has a britten and desmoseidici parked next to the v-rex.
at $39,999 I find the price incredible - half that of a confederate, less than a quarter of what an OCC “theme bike” is reported to sell for.
I noticed the price, too. Look at the engineering involved here. If they can build this for 40k it could put some price pressure on some other builders who are basing their prices on nothing more than a name. Maybe, too, the high level computer design has something to do with it. When you figure an OCC chopper is pretty much designed on the fly, just like many other “name” choppers, this bike based on Tim Cameron’s computer work could start a trend toward real design work before actual construction begins. Wouldn’t that be a novel idea?
Is it better than doing things the old way? Opinions will vary.
So I’m the only one who finds this thing hideous and excessive?
guitargeek, it’s not the specific design that makes this cool, it’s the fact that a design as radical as this went from computer to real bike. He’s also building the VR-2 which is a lot less radical. But if this bike can be produced with this kind of design work at the price they are selling it for, it could be a huge development.
It could signal a new trend in smaller shops putting out first class bikes with high end design at relatively affordable prices. Think about it. Also, go back to Tim Cameron’s website and look at his other designs, now consider that those are buildable and not just computer fantasy. It makes a guy think, … and smile.
I can appreciate it as an engineering exercise, and I’m definitely excited about CAD/CAM, I just think it’s kind of… homely. Besides, it weighs almost 700 pounds!
I’d like to see other small operations utilize this technology, like Bienville Studios!
I read an article in WIRED about a company (can’t remember the name) that will manufacture whatever part you want, you just send them a computer file of the 3D model. As time goes by, the cost of this capability will only get cheaper, eventually finding it’s way into the grasp of shade tree hot rodders…
I agree with guitargeek - it is hideous and excessive. it’s a harley powered custom…par for the course. the thing is - I want one to out-hideous the most excessive folks out there! everything on my wish list could be considered excessive by many, and a lot of chopper-type folks consider anything chrome deficient ugly. a harley guy told me he thought vincents were ugly the other day! dumbass.
my only issue with it (for what it is) is that it comes across as plastic-ey.
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