Pablo de Chaves, who you may remember for the BMW based D1200R, has come up with a new design for the Moto2 class racing series. Originally working on the design for Bottpower’s Moto2, things didn’t work out, so Pablo thought he would show us his design, the 599BL (Blue Label) and requested a little feedback.
In Moto2, everyone will be running 600cc 4 stroke engines with limitations to keep competition close so the innovation will be in the design of the chassis, suspension and bodywork. Pablo outlines many of the considerations in fairing design, enclosing everything with utmost efficiency, maximizing aerodynamics, lean angle and even room for sponsor decals. He also incorporated adjustable cooling in the fairing sides, allowing less cooling on cold days while decreasing aerodynamic drag.
This new Moto2 series should attract a lot of designers trying to use their skills to create a little edge that could mean the winning difference. The 599BL is one designer’s idea, I think it looks pretty good.
Link: Dechaves Garage
Jim says
As a board junior high school student, I doodled car and motorcycle designs that would never be built. Today a similar kid is probably at a PC and might have CAD or some design/drawing program and he’ll do the same. Some of it might make it into blogs.
There are many craftsmen out there building actual bikes in metal and composites that can be ridden, let’s focus on them. I wouldn’t be bothered if I ever saw another paper/computer design.
WillyP says
Certainly an improvement over his other designs! Other than that there isn’t much to say: it’s style is typical race bike. Put it in a wind tunnel. But I wonder about the effect of the wheel spoke shapes. Seems to me like if they were turned the other way they would cause less turbulence inside the wheel.
kneeslider says
@Jim: Before you group this fellow into the doodling high school student category, follow the link in the post back to the D1200R, you’ll see his design became a real bike which you can now buy.
Yes, people can doodle and do nothing more, however, the “let me see metal” crowd might want to remember that some continue on to real bikes.
Joe S. says
@Jim, this guy actually built his D1200R concept after having sketched it out with CAD. He’s not just any old photoshop junkie stitching together disparate parts, but a craftsman too. This bike, or some version thereof, probably will in fact get built, so please save your criticism for those with less ambition and talent. The more complicated the bike, the more planning should go into it, and CAD, photoshop, etc are excellent tools towards that end.
As for the bike itself, It looks rather run of the mill, though I understand that entry for racing places some pretty severe constraints on design, both from a regulatory and practical standpoint. I do have 2 particular things I don’t really care for though. First, this isn’t a Japanese bike, so skip the Japanese characters. This is a field where we try to stand out, not fit in. Second, I don’t really care for the straight line of underside of the body work on the rear subframe, especially with the fact that it flares out so much. It would look much better to my eye if it were rolled under or lifted up under the pillion to better follow the topline. That would make it a much less harsh line, which I prefer.
hoyt says
There is nothing run of the mill about a complete chassis design regardless if you can’t see beyond the familiar body panels.
Japanese characters and not being a Japanese bike? The engine is Japanese, and big F’ndeal if he has characters on his paint. What does Rossi have on his bikes?
Don’t like the flat underside? Maybe the wind tunnel cares more.
Pablo – nice work. Do you know if any alternative front suspensions are being used on any of the race teams?
Good luck
John McDowell says
I was wondering if there are any rules against ” rear” fairings for this racing class?
If not, I think another idea would be to create a ” hugger” rear fender with a tail fin.
Then, a seat with a drop-down cowl that would “surround” the fin. Verticle suspension movement would be allowed by the sliding of the fin inside the under-seat cowl.
Any way to reduce the aerodynamic drag would be a benefit.
Great design work already.
ax1464 says
Even if a person never picks up a wrench or welding torch to actually build their design (which is obviously not the case for Pablo), their fresh new ideas are picked up by those who DO build bikes. “Dreamers” and “doodlers” should be encouraged to share their passionate concepts with others whenever possible. Keep ’em coming!
todd says
I couldn’t imagine being able to build up a 3D computer model of a bike without fully understanding how it goes together in real life. People (i.e. engineers) with 3D modeling capabilities most often have the ability to build the same things with their hands and the right tools. I rarely find the opposite to be true.
I’d love to see this rendering minus the bodywork. that frame and swing arm looks great.
-todd
Joe S. says
sorry hoyt, I didnt mean to insult, I just meant its far more run of the mill in design than his D1200R, especially in terms of body styling. Where did you see that it would have a japanese engine btw? I was curious about the intended powerplant, as his last was bmw-based.
Either way, the aesthetics of line and color are definitely in the eye of the beholder, and I merely meant to say that those particular aspects didn’t float my boat, wind tunnel or not. After all, beauty and utility are rarely entirely convergent (see recent 200mpg scooter post).
tim says
If its for Moto2, they use a spec engine from Honda.
Michael says
@ Joe S.
All Moto2 bike will run a Honda CBR600 Based engine…
tim says
Oh, and the same FIM regs that require stuff like the front wheel to be visible from the side of the bike, and other requirements introduced when they banned dustbin fairings (in the 1950’s!) will also strangle real innovation in this class. Plus I also think that this class will be too similar to MotoGP, so they will have to tweak that too: I suspect by increasing the capacity limit, or banning electronics. Because God Forbid there be actual advancements usable by actual motorcycle riders. (ABS, traction control etc)
pabsy says
I think this looks great the quality of rendering is very nice
I wonder what the thinking is to develop a concept to this level of detail without testing and what the novel features are ?
emmet says
I cannot believe that you designed a 3d model of this caliber in a month and a half… I salute you, sir.
Kenny says
Moto 2 looks set to be an interesting series, but it could go wrong.
I’ve seen some interesting designs like FTR’s one where there actually isn’t a headstock or a steering stem. The front end, for lack of a better analogy, is literally clamped onto two extrusions off the frame leaving a big hole for a straight through ram-air duct.
What I’m most interested in is the potential for the return of aftermarket frame builders. Though maybe they’d be a bit pricy.
Anyhoo, Great work DeChaves my only thoughts are that the seat looks very skinny but too my perspective it doesn’t look like the tank will be a comfortable fit for the rider. I would have thought more of a sculpt in the tank would allow the rider to tuck in more, as well as making the bike easier to hang off of in the corners.
Love the little arrows pointing at the air intake and gas cap.
taxman says
don’t get me wrong, the bike is a great looking bike. but i can’t help but wander my eye over the the little french maid dusting off his name.
what ever happened to that 450 moto class? is that gaining ground?
Nicolas says
@ Todd, I’d rather say the opposite … having to deal with hundreds of highly educated engineers who work at designing stuff 8 hours a day behind a computer, very few of them can do even an oil change, almost none of them could build anything. (engineer myself)
Pablo, on the other hand, seems to be one of the few who can do both, designing cool stuff and building great stuff. Keep on keeping on, Pablo, and make this thing real !
Hugo says
Just for reference, not all of the bike was built by Pablo, the frame, forks, etc. were built by the Bottpower team. Progress of the moto2 project can be read at:
http://www.bottpower.com/eng
Tim Tom says
On the risk of seeming ignorant to race bike tech, anyone able to spot the exhaust on this guy?
Rich says
@Tim Tom – the exhaust appears to be exiting from an opening at the lower, left, rear area of the fairing (beneath the engine). There’s an elliptical opening at that point in the bodywork which I assume to be the exhaust’s exit point.
Rich
chaz says
For a really detailed description of the process of creating a Moto2 from a concept, see David Sanchez’ blog at http://bottpower.com/.
Chaz
Sarimin says
thanks for the list. cool
Ady says
It’s all very well designing these bikes and even designing more room on the fairings for sponsors. It all looks good. BUT will it work? The Japanese I’m sure have looked at all of these. Just designing these bikes is only the first stage. I’m sure I could with a bit (may be a lot) of help design a race bike – with some revolutionary design concepts – would it ever get built? I very much doubt it.
pabsy says
chaz thanks for the bottpower link very awesome !
there is an english speaking version here
http://bottpower.com/eng
first time i found it i didn’t realize
SlipKid says
It looks fine to me, though I would expect a fabricated aluminum or carbon-fiber swingarm.