Here’s another example of innovation in the motorcycle design world, a single Moto2 racer design ready for today but with the capability of using multiple engines.
Three engineers with considerable motorcycle design experience, Juan Manuel Navarro and José Ángel Sánchez, formerly of Yamaha Spain, along with Josep Losantos, formed a company in 2004 called Arianetech, where they’ve been turning out designs for motorcycles, railways and aeronautics.
A multidisciplinary team of over 30 people has been working through 2009 and 2010 to give birth to what we call the ArianeTech 053 PROJECT.
Among them there are motorcycle design experts, track engineers, calculation specialists, designers, CAD model makers, mechanics, laboratory technicians, metrologists, sport managers…
Although the single spec engine rules currently in place precludes the use of other engines, if you design a Moto2 racer capable of running that engine plus engines from several other manufacturers, you would have a racer capable of competing in Moto2 now and ready for the possibility of using other engines, if rules change, and also able to compete in other racing championships. You get lots of competitive possibilities from one basic design.
The Ariane2 can be fitted with any of the 5 following engines, Honda CBR600RR, Yamaha R6, Suzuki GSX600R, Kawasaki ZX-6R and Triumph Daytona 675.
ArianeTech has developed a specific frame for each engine, since all of them have different dimensions. But ALL the rest of the motorcycle is identical. The objective has been to achieve an almost identical behavior in all 5 motorcycle configurations.
The aluminum frame and swingarm are machined from several large blocks to minimize the number of welds. The body is made of carbon fiber, the tailpiece is self supporting and includes room for all electronics. The frame, as you would expect, allows adjustments for engine placement and all suspension variables.
The idea that Moto2 would be prohibitively expensive without restrictive spec engine rules seems counter to the innovation we see popping up all around the world. This example is one more racer from a very capable design team, exhibiting what appears to be competitive engineering with flexibility for multiple applications.
As noted before, we don’t often cover racing but it’s interesting to see the technical innovation on display. I like the thinking going on here.
The Ariane2 will be manufactured in a small series for those racing teams that want to participate in the World Championship and any of the national championships. ArianeTech is looking for one or two teams to lead the Ariane2 development during 2011. Race teams interested in exploring the possibilities of this racer should contact ArianeTech.
Link: ArianeTech
froryde says
Arianetech hopes to be track testing the bike in February…
Jon Hutchison says
oh, a modern Rickman
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Yep, you could say that
Homer says
Isn’t that what all Moto2 bikes are?
Mark L says
I really admire the engineering effort that went into this project, but I have to ask if one of the design goals was to make the bodywork even uglier than the KTM RC8?
Sorry for the criticism, but this bike looks like an RC8, and that is not a good thing.
The chassis that is visible looks really nice, so some revised bodywork, and we have a contender………
Mark L.
Scribbler says
That’s what happens when engineers do bodies 😉 Shame, the frame looks nice
Alf says
Welp, I think it looks pretty cool
pabs says
looks nice but wheres the innovation carrying four different 600 class UJM motors isn’t really a flexable design at all they are pretty much all identical and if one can race in a class so can the others, is this going to go around any quicker than a wll prepped stocker?
rickman comment is a good one or rememer moto martin ? those were ground breaking as you wound up with a completley different bike the motomartin saved about 100lbs if i recall, of course they werent racers
ok ramble over,,,
todd says
It might not be any better but you’ll be able to transfer all your favorite set-up from one frame to the next. All of your expensive parts like the suspension, brakes, wheels – etc. will swap right over. I bet they were hoping they could have achieved the same results with one single frame. There were probably too many performance compromises that way. I think it’s pretty cool even if it does look a bit “purposeful”.
Now if they could only make it look like the Ritmo Sereno they’d be on to something.
-todd
todd says
and the painted bodywork with all your sponsor’s logos go along for the swap too.
Kachunk says
jack of all trades, master of none?
Oldschool says
Well, this seems very innovative, and pretty well engineered, but unique? Nawdah. And like Scribbler said, this is what you get when an engineer designs body work. Not pleasing to the eye. And why is the new look that pointed to the sky nonsense? The tailpiece seems really ridiculous. But that is one mans personal opinion. Its just hard to take serious when it looks so, corny, and cheap.