BMW wants to know what you’re thinking. First, they brought out the LoRider Concept and put up a survey to see what you thought about it, which is a good way to generate feedback in the most direct fashion, “Here it is, what do you think?” Now, they have an innovation contest and they’re looking for some of your ideas about future products:
What will be the perfect motor bike of the future – what features should it have, how much would it cost, who would buy it? What will be the next exciting trend in motor bikes that will fascinate the youth of tomorrow? We are looking for unique, breakthrough products and services for the future of motorcycles, scooters, mopeds or the like vehicles. The solutions should embody innovative technology, passion and modern lifestyle. What mobility function would it serve? Which trends should be integrated: leisure, fun, travel, business, style, ecology, economy? Break free from common conceptions and let your imagination fly! Take part in developing the future of the motorcycle and set new benchmarks in technology, propulsion type, materials, services, design and overall concept. Describe your personal vision, your two wheeled motorized dream.
Thomas, who put the contest together, thought readers of The Kneeslider might be the perfect group to tap for forward looking ideas. Of course, I think so, too. BMW is looking for new ideas appealing to a younger crowd, the next generation of BMW riders, what would they be?
Several prizes are offered, 2000 Euros plus some other material prizes, for the best ideas. You have until July 17th to make your submissions.
If you’re the innovative type and you think your ideas have some merit, check it out.
Link: BMW Innovation Contest
Kenny says
Excellent, time to boot up my inventor and get clicking
todd says
Seems like it’s already leaning towards the euro / future think crowd. Both images on the site suggest submitted designs must throw out all preconceived notions of what a motorcycle should be – otherwise don’t bother. Can the purse be paid out in old fashioned USD?
I’m afraid my idea of what would be a great motorcycle wouldn’t be WOW enough (i.e. it would be practical to manufacture, sell, ride, repair…) to win contests but I’ll give it a shot anyway.
-todd
nobody says
Nothing in the contest for me, but cover page’s links to Igor’s work are the best CADtoons I’ve seen since the Znug. Glad they are serving those up as examples rather than reheated leftovers from another century.
Hammerspur says
“…the next generation of BMW riders, what would they be?”
Considering the present young adult generation of riders, Let’s see…
Many can’t even change their own oil, believe luggage is best carried in a backpack, insist on wearing inane oversized apparel items flapping away madly at highway speeds, think mounting a GPS is a major mod (and need it to find their way around anywhere besides their own neighborhood), Hmmm…
I shudder to think.
vic says
Hammerspur – if young people aren’t interested in hacking on their bikes its because the industry has for 20 years actively discouraged it. The whole “stealership” network approach where only dealers get the equipment and manuals for working on the bikes and warranties are voided, and the platform overtime has been made unfriendly (by accident or design) to tinkerers is a factor in making a generation of consumer oriented riders treat the bike as a black box. In other industries where open platforms are being demanded and delivered this simply isn’t the case.
But let’s leave aside the generalistations that young people can’t do hardware and old people can’t do software.
I’m not a bmw rider but I have certainly been interested in their approach to do engineering in their own way. BMW’s opportunity is to make motorcyle platforms that are modular and hackable out of the box. They should make platform tools available with their bikes and the same tools the engineers and dealerships get should be vastly improved and also made available to the end user. Of course those tools need to be open designs that can be improved upon because that is what a modern approach demands.
Call me jaded but I just don’t think any of the traditional manufacturers are going to be able to deliver this kind of future minded thinking. There’s definately an industry shakeup coming.
B*A*M*F says
@ Vic:
Modular and “hackable out of the box” will be the wave of the future.
I think the industry shakeup is going to come as electrics gain viability. Most of the established marques don’t make much in the way of electric motors or batteries at this point. Nor do most of the small electric bike startups. Pretty much everyone gets their stuff from battery companies and companies that make electric motors. So aside from physical size, a motor is a motor. A swap is going to require some wiring changes, mounting changes, and perhaps some machining of output shafts or drive inputs. Swapping batteries should be even easier than that.
bigyabigya says
After using google translate to read about 100 of the 160 “ideas” that have been posted so far, I’m convinced BMW would be better off by coming to this site if they want to learn about motorcycle innovation.
I was expecting a design contest but so far it just looks like a social engineering experiment. Maybe as it approaches the deadline there will be some actual design ideas submitted.
Hammerspur says
Vic,
“…young people can’t do hardware and old people can’t do software.”
Generalization yes but I like that, never heard it before which shows which ‘camp’ I belong to!
You must admit there’s some truth to it… or maybe it’s me who needs to admit it, and I do.
You make a good point about offering platforms open to personalization and the means to do so. Don’t know about an industry shakeup… you might be hoping for too much. I really don’t think excellence sells all that well unless it’s couched in obvious concretistic values (“Mine’s faster”, et al)… no, mediocrity served up in nice packaging with fancy wrap and ribbons rules, I believe.
AND if you suspect sounding jaded, from my experience it comes with the territory.