San Francisco-based Frog Design released images of a new electric motorcycle concept, just as its influential Yamaha FZ750-based Rana concept gets enshrined at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Frog designer Jin Soek Hwang prepared the Frog eBike concept as an expression of how electric motor technology can influence motorcycle design. In a post on Frog’s blog, the designer says he was inspired in part by Frog’s 1985 FZ750 Rana concept (pictured after the jump).
The Frog Rana was designed by the company’s founder Hartmut Esslinger and made the covers of magazines from Cycle World to Business Week. The iconic Rana design was influential for its time, helping lead to the design of the Honda Hurricane.The new electric concept is highlighted by the large open space where one would expect to find a traditional motorcycle engine, symbolically representing the technological shift from internal combustion power to electric.
The eBike’s electric motor is actually located in the hubless rear wheel. The batteries would be located in the lower part of the chassis beneath the open space, helping lower the center of gravity. The handlebars are fixed to the chassis so instead of physically moving the front end, the eBike uses electronic fly-by-wire steering. Other features include , an OLED digital display and online connectivity. The Frog eBike would be accompanied by a helmet equipped with heads-up display with retina tracking.
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