Yes, yes, yes! This was an absolutely superb look into a super rare and super interesting bike. Chris pitched it fantastically with a deep dive into the tech side and genuine questions into what could have been and why. Really really enjoyed this. Thank you Chris and thank you The Bike Specialist for letting us all enjoy these bikes!
Haven’t even had the time to press play on my screen and I want to thank you for making this video. I’m a former SB8R owner and a huge Bimota fan-there is so little information out there about Bimotas, any Bimotas really, and this one is one of the most special and interesting!
This reminds me of the Britton too. Really cool a story behind that bike, all handmade all proprietary design, one man engineering team, John Britton himself and he had no motorcycling background.
As an engineer by trade, it's a fascinating motorcycle and all of the alternate routes the company has taken to achieve something takes a lot of time to understand to even an appreciable degree, as compared to conventional wisdom and understanding about the conventional route that motorcycles have taken for a long time.
Thanks for the technical explanation at the end. I've been intrigued by these hub-centre steered bikes ever since watching Ron Haslam on the Elf Honda back in the 80s. That ran a single-sided front arm I think and I seem to remember that Ron was regularly running out of ground clearance and decking the front arm.
She's stunningly beautiful in every regard - t'was love at first sight for me! Like you said Chris, it wasn't built to be different for the sake of being different, it was engineered to perform better in every regard to convention, & engineered to be better by the very people who were best suited to extract "better" out of every milligram of mass comprising the Vyrus! P.S. @ 7:16 did you notice the old bill van you passed going the opposite direction with, at the very least, 5 vehicles stuck behind it as nobody had the balls to initiate the first overtake irrespective of the asphalt not having solid whites hahaha - that made me chuckle man. Can't express my gratitude enough for you continuing to bring us top tier motobike related content & this 'Dream Rides' mini series is rapidly becoming very close to some of my favourite MC vids uploaded to YT. Thanks a million Chris & team! (mate, we all appreciate & try to "support the companies that support you's", but geographically it isn't always possible to do so pal, so I say that to say, please consider setting up either a Bike World or Chris Northover Patreon page, I'll be the first in line to chip in a few quid each month as a gesture of appreciation for the phenomenal entertainment value you provide to me, effectively for free)... at least give it a 2nd or 3rd consideration if you have previously dismissed it out of hand, plus I know for a fact that I'm not the only one that feels this way! Either way, thanks again & keep doing what you love dude, it radiates through the internet & onto my TV and it's inspirational & infectious to all us moto enthusiasts, be us UK or continental Europe based! All the best pal! 👊
What a bike! Thanks Chris for the carefully-considered analysis, particularly concerning hub-centre steering. This technology clearly has much to offer and it would be a shame to see it disappear just because it is 'not like telescopic forks'.
I was ten when I first saw this bike...it was some sort of event that took place at Vallelunga circuit (near Rome). I was blown away! The look, the sound of this machine...it was vicious! Really looked like a robot from a galaxy far far away...
Great looking bike with an interesting technical story. I love the idea of technicians constantly trying to improve on the basic ideas. Just because one way has worked doesn't mean you shouldn't try different ideas! Thank you for sharing!
Fantastic video as always. If I won the lottery I'd have one, no question. You can discuss the pros and cons all day, which for the average road rider is, probably, negligible. To me it is cool AF. I remember they made a moto2 prototype but no-one took it on, imagine a 2023 version with a 765 triple engine 🤤
What was that blinking green light on the dash? Also, didn't Bradley Ray race the Moto 2 Vyrus (with the Honda 600 motor) in the Spanish CEV series a few years back?
What an awesome machine .... from an engineering perspective it is extremely aesthetically pleasing and so interesting to look at. I'd have one if I could afford one.
It's a cool engineering exercise, but as a fan of simplicity and lightness, the front steering/suspension setup doesn't make much practical sense to me.
Please ride the motoinno motorcycle too and the vyrus M2 CBR 600 RR version with the latest steering system. It's even better without the steering flex.
I've got no problems with it. So long as there's no battery on it for more than turning it over and the electronics, I'd ride it! I'd say there's less stress in that front end than a conventional system. That front end is very industrial and since it's a kingpin, it's a durable axle too. It's looking the same front end as a 4x4, minus one axle housing and another tire. Interesting bike to think about, thanks to the owner who shared it!
Imagine the Vyrus with a brand new Ducati V4 engine with 220 bhp? Id shit my pants riding it, which I already do riding a regular V4! Bloody hell, a technical orgie in design and manufacturing, a masterpiece
Thanks Chris, fascinating stuff! Any chance you can find a Yamaha GTS 1000 to test? I think it’s the only mainstream bike ever to make it into production with the same “funny front end” as the Vyrus.
A really interesting bit of kit. Nonetheless hub centre steering seems to have always added complexity where it really wasn't required. Especially on the road. However top marks for making a unique motorcycle.
Always intrigued me this and the hossack front end maybe they could run all the paramètres requirements and existing qualities thru some super computers and c what they come up with I think the directness of the contact between riders hands and action of the télés on the rd gives them certain advantages technology moves pretty quickly so who knows ?
Love these bikes reminds me of the britten v1000 similar unconventional thinking and lightweight design would have 1 in a heart beat if I had the money
Have to say it’s certainly marmite. My mate loves it but the shape of it and the radiator on the side hanging there exposed and on show. That horrific swingarm. That front end. It’s certainly rare but it’s a dogs dinner 😂 Very cool though thanks for the video ❤
I remember Ruben xaus testing a vyrus Moto2 bike and it being quicker than the normal moto2 bike....but like everything else, if it's different then people just write it off....
I'm sorry but didn't you mention that that was a Ducati motor in the beginning? I'm not going to rewatch to figure that out but I did hear that. I'm sure it's been heavily modified. Damn sure hope so. All that being said it is a really cool looking bike. It took a lot of time and effort to make something so special. I can give it it's just do. However, remember this. I ride a CBR with a Red Bull body kit on it. The body kit was like 800 bucks. It looks so convincing that I can't beat pretty much anybody off with a stick if I stop. And above and beyond that I was actually waved into a Christmas parade while trying to pass it....by a police officer that thought I was a REAL red Bull rider and then I had to do all sorts of tricks while people cheered. It's a Red Bull "looking" bike. I can do some pretty cool stunts. But the bike was never meant to do that. Or at least I didn't build it to do that. The body kit was like cheap and I liked it. so just because something looks cool doesn't mean the mechanics are next level. If it still has the same damn motor every other MotoGP bike has then it's just the same damn piece of crap with a fancy dress on
I can feel that this motorbike is special. From the sound to the design... there's nothing conventional! 70s and 80s experimentation in the 21st century!
I've always been a fan of this bike and the bimota tesi before it, although, a bit more riding footage would have been nice, there's not much decent videos of bikes like this, as for the old tyres, the owner should know better than that...🤦
It must quite frustrating ( altho I could probably put up with it if you wanna day off😂) You get these Amazing bikes and then they go... oh the tyres are a bit sketchy.
At the end of the day a motorcycle for me must be visually appealing first , then I can deal with all the rest of its quirks after, the virus is just parts with no visual design concept apparent to me .
Chris Northover, Ari Henning and Zack Courts are the best journalists in the motorbike-world, they truly have passion and they make wonders sharing that. Give them a Top Gear spinoff but on 2 wheels
Why a 'radical' front suspension setup but a conventional rear end? Minimum would have been a single-sided swingarm... the sum of it's parts do not match-up imo..
I absolutely like it. I wouldn't say I love it. But if it works well that's all that matters to me. Except for price that matters to me too. I can tell it's way too expensive for me. I can be happy on a much lesser the bike
I had never seen one of these... it says I'm weird, and LOVE it. Would I want one? No. Problems? That tank is a hip breaker - I would never consider such a radically squared element for a riding experience. Museum show piece/concept? Absolutely.
I'm a little disappointed that you didn't mention anything about those trick-looking carbon brakes. How do they work? Need heat? Crazy expensive? Guess no ABS?
Yes, yes, yes! This was an absolutely superb look into a super rare and super interesting bike. Chris pitched it fantastically with a deep dive into the tech side and genuine questions into what could have been and why. Really really enjoyed this. Thank you Chris and thank you The Bike Specialist for letting us all enjoy these bikes!
As always, Chris' enthusiasm is infectious...
Haven’t even had the time to press play on my screen and I want to thank you for making this video. I’m a former SB8R owner and a huge Bimota fan-there is so little information out there about Bimotas, any Bimotas really, and this one is one of the most special and interesting!
Thanks for watching
This reminds me of the Britton too. Really cool a story behind that bike, all handmade all proprietary design, one man engineering team, John Britton himself and he had no motorcycling background.
As an engineer by trade, it's a fascinating motorcycle and all of the alternate routes the company has taken to achieve something takes a lot of time to understand to even an appreciable degree, as compared to conventional wisdom and understanding about the conventional route that motorcycles have taken for a long time.
John Britton was unconventional, did it all in his garage and won races at an international level.
I've had the pleasure of using a bimota tese 3d 2015 and after a time to understand it. Hub center steering is sublime.
As a bike mechanic I love it.❤
Thanks for the technical explanation at the end. I've been intrigued by these hub-centre steered bikes ever since watching Ron Haslam on the Elf Honda back in the 80s. That ran a single-sided front arm I think and I seem to remember that Ron was regularly running out of ground clearance and decking the front arm.
She's stunningly beautiful in every regard - t'was love at first sight for me! Like you said Chris, it wasn't built to be different for the sake of being different, it was engineered to perform better in every regard to convention, & engineered to be better by the very people who were best suited to extract "better" out of every milligram of mass comprising the Vyrus!
P.S. @ 7:16 did you notice the old bill van you passed going the opposite direction with, at the very least, 5 vehicles stuck behind it as nobody had the balls to initiate the first overtake irrespective of the asphalt not having solid whites hahaha - that made me chuckle man.
Can't express my gratitude enough for you continuing to bring us top tier motobike related content & this 'Dream Rides' mini series is rapidly becoming very close to some of my favourite MC vids uploaded to YT.
Thanks a million Chris & team! (mate, we all appreciate & try to "support the companies that support you's", but geographically it isn't always possible to do so pal, so I say that to say, please consider setting up either a Bike World or Chris Northover Patreon page, I'll be the first in line to chip in a few quid each month as a gesture of appreciation for the phenomenal entertainment value you provide to me, effectively for free)... at least give it a 2nd or 3rd consideration if you have previously dismissed it out of hand, plus I know for a fact that I'm not the only one that feels this way!
Either way, thanks again & keep doing what you love dude, it radiates through the internet & onto my TV and it's inspirational & infectious to all us moto enthusiasts, be us UK or continental Europe based!
All the best pal! 👊
Thanks Bike World, what a great in-depth look at a unique and special bike!
I loved the detailed technical review focusing the front suspension which makes this bike so unique
Can't honestly say I'v ever heard of Vyrus bikes untill now. I love it, thanks for sharing !!!!!!!
Why not change the tires? Are they special edition too? Fantastic machine and I personally love the odd looks.
I've never been jealous of another rider until now. Love this bike and one of my favorite engines.
Never heard of vyrus before but you made me a fan. Down the rabbit hole I go
What a bike! Thanks Chris for the carefully-considered analysis, particularly concerning hub-centre steering. This technology clearly has much to offer and it would be a shame to see it disappear just because it is 'not like telescopic forks'.
I was ten when I first saw this bike...it was some sort of event that took place at Vallelunga circuit (near Rome). I was blown away! The look, the sound of this machine...it was vicious! Really looked like a robot from a galaxy far far away...
Great looking bike with an interesting technical story. I love the idea of technicians constantly trying to improve on the basic ideas. Just because one way has worked doesn't mean you shouldn't try different ideas! Thank you for sharing!
username checks... nvm
Carbon discs, dry break brake couplings, lap timer, suspension travel pot….. never seen the track in its life 😂
Well said Chris. Great review and insight into a fascinating bike 🤘
Fantastic video as always. If I won the lottery I'd have one, no question. You can discuss the pros and cons all day, which for the average road rider is, probably, negligible. To me it is cool AF.
I remember they made a moto2 prototype but no-one took it on, imagine a 2023 version with a 765 triple engine 🤤
Chris you mentioned the RC8, will you be featuring one of those? cheers mate
Yep, that's the plan.
What was that blinking green light on the dash? Also, didn't Bradley Ray race the Moto 2 Vyrus (with the Honda 600 motor) in the Spanish CEV series a few years back?
What an awesome machine .... from an engineering perspective it is extremely aesthetically pleasing and so interesting to look at. I'd have one if I could afford one.
That is awesome. My personal grail is the 986 m2.
I don't want one, but I love that it exists!
Amazing feat of engineering, super cool 😎 😎 love it 👌
Really great. Let’s celebrate difference.
Lovely work
Did it still counter steer?
Best bike reviewer ever!
The Vyrus is an infectious ride...
I'm looking forward to see a Bimota model in this series ❤
It's a cool engineering exercise, but as a fan of simplicity and lightness, the front steering/suspension setup doesn't make much practical sense to me.
Please ride the motoinno motorcycle too and the vyrus M2 CBR 600 RR version with the latest steering system. It's even better without the steering flex.
Have you gotten the Bimota shot for the latest Vyrus?
That pink and black ZXR though 🥰
I've got no problems with it. So long as there's no battery on it for more than turning it over and the electronics, I'd ride it! I'd say there's less stress in that front end than a conventional system. That front end is very industrial and since it's a kingpin, it's a durable axle too. It's looking the same front end as a 4x4, minus one axle housing and another tire. Interesting bike to think about, thanks to the owner who shared it!
these things look amazing, just so wicked and functional at the same time. like something out of Akira
Amazing video thank you
Imagine the Vyrus with a brand new Ducati V4 engine with 220 bhp? Id shit my pants riding it, which I already do riding a regular V4! Bloody hell, a technical orgie in design and manufacturing, a masterpiece
I'd heard of them before, never seen one though. How did you get on with the carbon disks ?
Thanks Chris, fascinating stuff! Any chance you can find a Yamaha GTS 1000 to test? I think it’s the only mainstream bike ever to make it into production with the same “funny front end” as the Vyrus.
That's feckin awesome ❤❤❤❤❤
A really interesting bit of kit. Nonetheless hub centre steering seems to have always added complexity where it really wasn't required. Especially on the road. However top marks for making a unique motorcycle.
Unique motorcycle ❤
i was wonder how Vyrus 988 tho, saw Moto Corse Japan have 2 unit displayed
Always intrigued me this and the hossack front end maybe they could run all the paramètres requirements and existing qualities thru some super computers and c what they come up with I think the directness of the contact between riders hands and action of the télés on the rd gives them certain advantages technology moves pretty quickly so who knows ?
KTM is testing a carbon frame currently. And Pedrosa ran quite well with it.
Awesome bike.
any chance on the 600cc one that was designed for MOTO 2
Wouldn’t some Magnetti Marelli input sort the fueling issues !!?
Is the feel of that front similar to the r1200s or the gs ?
I love it! It's non conformist, it's doesn't follow the norm and I think we need more of that.
I visited the factory in 2014 , I knew Ascanio there !!!
Would be amazing to see a vídeo with the Bimota H2
A team called Metiss did the Bol d'Or this year in the experimental class with suchs a suspension systeem. Or atleast not a conventional system.
Twin cam nutter
👍
I HAVE to try a hub centre front end bike one day 😁
Love these bikes reminds me of the britten v1000 similar unconventional thinking and lightweight design would have 1 in a heart beat if I had the money
Why you do this Chris!? I want a Vyrus now!
Have to say it’s certainly marmite. My mate loves it but the shape of it and the radiator on the side hanging there exposed and on show. That horrific swingarm. That front end. It’s certainly rare but it’s a dogs dinner 😂
Very cool though thanks for the video ❤
whoa
I remember Ruben xaus testing a vyrus Moto2 bike and it being quicker than the normal moto2 bike....but like everything else, if it's different then people just write it off....
987 C3 4VV (Ducati-sourced 4-valve 1200 cm3 supercharged water cooled engine developing 211bhp) Now that one is scary!
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Elite level engineering, what a pity MotoGP regs are so restrictive
I'm sorry but didn't you mention that that was a Ducati motor in the beginning? I'm not going to rewatch to figure that out but I did hear that. I'm sure it's been heavily modified. Damn sure hope so.
All that being said it is a really cool looking bike. It took a lot of time and effort to make something so special. I can give it it's just do.
However, remember this. I ride a CBR with a Red Bull body kit on it. The body kit was like 800 bucks. It looks so convincing that I can't beat pretty much anybody off with a stick if I stop. And above and beyond that I was actually waved into a Christmas parade while trying to pass it....by a police officer that thought I was a REAL red Bull rider and then I had to do all sorts of tricks while people cheered. It's a Red Bull "looking" bike. I can do some pretty cool stunts. But the bike was never meant to do that. Or at least I didn't build it to do that. The body kit was like cheap and I liked it. so just because something looks cool doesn't mean the mechanics are next level. If it still has the same damn motor every other MotoGP bike has then it's just the same damn piece of crap with a fancy dress on
wow!
10:47 jeez, looks like a modern bike. Looks like something Keanu Reeves made. Surprised to hear it's from 08
Incredible machine , it lacks a little bit on the looks department , some what ugly .
I can feel that this motorbike is special. From the sound to the design... there's nothing conventional! 70s and 80s experimentation in the 21st century!
Who does one engage in order to purchase one !?
The bike specialists
Made in Italy motorcycles….
Is it rare than Britten v1000?
No.
Absolutely not
Are you joking, there are only two Britten’s in existence….the man was an engineering genius…rip fella…
@@jbird33010 Brittens made nine left I think
@@karlvanboxel561 you are probably quite right but only 2 running I believe but I have been wrong before, so…..lol
This bike is futuristic but it will never look like engineer masterpiece FGR Midalu V6 2500 this bike is perfection.
Vyrus should put a Triumph on the Moto GP 2 grid to prove the technology against a conventional chassis.
I've always been a fan of this bike and the bimota tesi before it, although, a bit more riding footage would have been nice, there's not much decent videos of bikes like this, as for the old tyres, the owner should know better than that...🤦
It must quite frustrating ( altho I could probably put up with it if you wanna day off😂) You get these Amazing bikes and then they go... oh the tyres are a bit sketchy.
Sorry
Bimota's are a work of art
This thing looks like cheese grater 🧀
Too harsh?
At the end of the day a motorcycle for me must be visually appealing first , then I can deal with all the rest of its quirks after, the virus is just parts with no visual design concept apparent to me .
Chris Northover, Ari Henning and Zack Courts are the best journalists in the motorbike-world, they truly have passion and they make wonders sharing that. Give them a Top Gear spinoff but on 2 wheels
DRAM ride?????? Holy smokes!
👏
Why a 'radical' front suspension setup but a conventional rear end? Minimum would have been a single-sided swingarm... the sum of it's parts do not match-up imo..
Too heavy I guess.
I absolutely like it. I wouldn't say I love it. But if it works well that's all that matters to me. Except for price that matters to me too. I can tell it's way too expensive for me. I can be happy on a much lesser the bike
14yo tyres... Brave man. But why they'd pay for a belt service and not new tyres I cannot understand
I had never seen one of these... it says I'm weird, and LOVE it. Would I want one? No. Problems? That tank is a hip breaker - I would never consider such a radically squared element for a riding experience. Museum show piece/concept? Absolutely.
Next bike, ariel ace woth girder fork
Love it , imagine electric and two wheel drive
honda cbx1000
inline 6
plzzzzzzzzzzz
Might be top engineering but it looks a bit messy to me
I rode a bike home from purchase with 10 year old, rock hard Pirelli's once...... Once! Never gonna do that again.
Way too much to go wrong IMHO, but then like u said either luv it or hate it
Only thing it could still do different is buell style brakes XD
I had those Zards on my 1098 back in the day.
It's a bike Tom cruise has.
It is
@BikeWorldTVshow With old tires the tires have a virus
Solutions looking for problems
Looks like a bike from Cyberpunk, not my taste
Anyone else thinks it looks like its missing a faring?
Me sorry boss i can't come in to work today I've got a virus
Boss the covid virus
Me No the vyrus 985
Only in the land of Leonardo da Vinci this motorcycle could be created...
I'm a little disappointed that you didn't mention anything about those trick-looking carbon brakes. How do they work? Need heat? Crazy expensive? Guess no ABS?
I’m sorry, but if you have to try really hard to convince people why they should like something, it’s not really that good. Factoid 😂