If you haven’t bought your Motus yet (ranging in price from $31,000 to $37,000), you should be aware that you don’t have to settle for the stock 165 hp to 180 hp. Motus has shown with the one-off custom Lone Star 2 that bolting up a supercharger is easily doable for the 1650 cc V4 derived from a small block Chevy V8.
Motus design director Brian Case (pictured below) started with a stock Motus MSTR (the 180 hp version), stripped it bare and added the supercharger shown. Other little tricks include custom headers with Akrapovic slip-on, and carbon fiber wheels. How does 230 hp sound? We don’t know the torque figure, but it must be well north of the stock 126 foot/pounds.
cool bike, but that seat is ridiculous.
I,m sure the back rest is a back stop ! This must be a thrill to ride or fly !!
that looks awesome. Much cooler than the bike they are actually trying to sell.
Polaris needs to put the Motus V4 in the Slingshot. That would freakin’ rock!
How can anybody who truly loves motor vehicles – bikes, cars, engines, whatever – not enjoy just looking at these photos without being so consumed with doubts about the company’s business model or how many bikes they’ll sell? Jeez, lighten up for a moment! Thanks for the photos, Dirck.
PLUS 1
Fact: those pics of hideous MSO(motorcycle-shaped-object) makes my eyes hurt like hell.
I don’t umderstand why American motorcycle designs have to be so aesthetically challenged. Do we lack talent?
I actually kinda like it.
I do think the HP/torque is getting out of hand. I have an old F-150 Supercrew that had 250 BHP and equal torque when new. It still gets up and goes. My 800 lb. cruiser has 85 BHP and 110 torque. Both go fast and make tire companies wealthy and me poorer.
A familiar story: a couple of friends with some capital and a dream convince themselves they can achieve biker stardom. I applaud the audacity, but the odds can’t be cheated. Building unique bikes in low numbers, that appeal to fringe buyers, at astronomical prices, is not a plausible business model (sorry Eric). Maybe Jay Leno will buy a couple?
cartoonish.
I feel that is he were to create a tail section to balance the design out a bit and then visually shorten the tank with a pin up girl or something. He would have something going on. That tank is way too aircraft to be sitting all along on a motorcycle. It needs a little help.
Looks like a Roger Rabbit bike. At least paint the Chevy orange valve covers another color.
I don’t know why, but I want one.
need to “red-ify” the chassis and possibly that oil pan to tie in the testa rossa theme on this forced induction model.
Need…video…please.
+1
Lots of burnouts
“Motus design director” for a department of two. Just give us a break with the self appointed job titles. It gets old.
““Motus design director” for a department of two. Just give us a break with the self appointed job titles. It gets old.
”
So do gratuitous comments.
Right. “One of Two” would look much cooler on his business card.
This isn’t a new naked model from the company, so don’t get yer panties all in a bunch complaining that Motus needs to build a $12K naked bike.
This is a “One-Off” Custom bike. This is a “Hot Rod” and I’d personally like to see Ricky Gadson turning this bitch out at the strip.
Since they are selling MV4 crate motors, they want bike builders to know it’s time to build a bike with something other than an S&S 124.
You can also drop the motor in a race car:
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/10/motus-race-car-replicas-rcr-monoposto-baby-block-kmv4-video/
Thanks for the link. That thing is awesome.
How many bikes has Motus sold?
That tank/seat combo is nice looking but the tank is soooooo long it needs a nutt cup holder cuz that’s where their going to be.
And when you get on the brakes you slide down the tank and over the handle bars!
Personally, I don’t feel that the huffer did anything at all for the bike. The bike is just fine without it. Maybe if he fit it under the tank. As it is. It just looks like a bunch of crap bolted to the side of an otherwise interesting bike.
Motorcycle Of The United States needs to get real!
I always liked the Motus. The way the engine looks and the over all design. This version should appeal to standard lovers. AS for me, I’ll take the original in red. That is one beautiful bike.
Yes, I, too, really like Motus’ idea for using half of a small block Chevy and the (to me, very powerful-) appeal of its overall design. I’d like to see what Motus could do to produce a more-affordable V4 model, but then, some things are meant to be aspirational…
Spend a pile money to make an already too expensive bike more powerful just so you can pose for a few pictures in a few publications. The tell tale sign of boutique business owners still thinking small picture/big profits.
Here’s a novel thought: Build a stripped down bike that is more readily available and more reasonably affordable to a wider swath of the population. Then you’ll have gearheads all over the country bolting all manner of air/fuel cramming devices to your bikes and taking pictures everywhere.
“Here’s a novel thought: Build a stripped down bike that is more readily available and more reasonably affordable to a wider swath of the population”.
Yah…just like Ferrari?
They are looking for a few hundred sales a year – regular folks need not apply.
Hey BC does that make you irregular then? bwaahhaahhaa
I’m working on being exceptional, thanks!
🙂
Everyone needs a goal. Keep it up ( thumbs up)
I agree. Make a cool looking street fighter, or whatever you want to call it, with a minimum number of parts and let the games begin.
Buell could have made a cool 80-100hp street trackers, but decided to make something funky instead. Look where it got him.
Re: “Buell could have made a cool 80-100hp street trackers, but decided to make something funky instead. Look where it got him.”
They really couldn’t have done that. Low pricing is only achievable through volume and that can’t be established from the get-go. Starting with expensive, low volume products means you can sell the product above it’s actual cost (profit) while establishing a brand to build on.
“They really couldn’t have done that.”
Bloor did that with Triumph. Worked out pretty well, methinks.
Contrary to popular belief, one doesn’t have to start with the low-volume, high margin model. That is just where most choose to start, and there are not too many success stories built around that model, either.
I’ll pass….
Not likely with 230 hp!
The design trend of “abbreviated” rear-ends has gone overboard. In this case it has become a virtual caricature of a bike.
The shape of the seat isn’t as much about a design statement as it is about physics…what with 230 HP and all.
Nice looking bike! Can you imagine the debris it will ingest though with the intake down low…
It’s not a 747…it is a relatively small amount of air.
After seeing this bike, it maybe time for Motus to expand it’s line-up. Even without the supercharger is it a very nice bike, with soul. 🙂
Rather have the Kaw H2R and all the extra cash for insurance, speeding tickets and lawyers lol
That is one handsome bike. I like it.
Since I hear you can buy the motor w/o the rest of the bike…….this is just 1 example of doing that?
Is Motus selling motorcycles yet?
they will gladly take your money,,but for six yrs now they have yet to deliver to the average Joe
Well…what are you guys waiting for? …do a 43 second Youtube burnout and let the class see and hear this puppy!
I think a Turbo would be less hassel
A normally-aspirated one would be plenty for me. Nice!
remember the discussion about the pointy seat on the suzy?
from the many “just because” boutique motorcycles we have seen here I’ll still prefer the concept behind the Horex, so bad I don’t have the money and they are out of business now.
I guess it’s all about the sound.
Another one for Jay Leno’s Garage…
I know several parents who paid for their kids’ art history degree. This would have been a much better use of their money.
More!
blower or no blower – put something like this stripped down version on the market.
Love to hear THAT engine rumbling and whining up through the Rev’s…
Woof!