Atlas Concept Motorcycle for Yamaha

A concept study for a new motorcycle design language

Atlas was developed as a full-scale in-house concept study for Yamaha. The aim was to explore a new form language for future generations of motorcycles, combining a sporty character with a more practical way of using the bike.

The brief was unusual: create a motorcycle with a strong, dynamic presence, while also integrating at least 70 litres of luggage capacity. In other words, the design had to bring together two normally conflicting ideas, performance and storage.

Turning luggage into part of the design

The challenge was to prevent the storage volume from making the motorcycle look heavy or compromised. Instead of treating the luggage areas as added boxes, they were integrated into the main body of the bike.

The crankshaft of the engine became the visual centre of the design. From that point, the lines, surfaces and technical elements were developed into a strong wedge-shaped composition. Power, movement and mechanical presence were used to balance the relatively large storage spaces.

Every part of the motorcycle was designed from scratch, from the overall silhouette to details such as the handlebars, switches and footrests.

A study with influence beyond the concept

Atlas was not developed as a styling exercise, but as an advanced design study to test ideas, proportions and product language for Yamaha.

The project helped define directions that could be used beyond the concept itself. Some of its design characteristics can be recognised in later Yamaha products, including design elements that found their way into Yamaha motorscooters.

In that sense, Atlas became more than a single concept motorcycle. It was a physical design study that helped explore how sportiness, practicality and Yamaha’s technical character could come together in a new type of two-wheeler.

What we did

Hanno worked on the Atlas project as an advanced design study for Yamaha.

His role included (trend)research, concept development, sketch design, design development and detailing. The project was developed from the first design direction through to a full-scale clay model, allowing the proportions, surfaces and details to be evaluated as a real size motorcycle rather than only as a drawing.

The work covered the complete visual and physical development of the concept, from the main design idea to the refinement of the full-scale model.

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