In our experience, there are a few different types of concept/show bikes, so bear with us.
On the one hand, you get reasonably sensible offerings, like the Honda Hornet concept of a few years ago, or the Yamaha T7 rally racer. They have engines which appear to have the cylinders in the right places and pistons inside them; they use telescopic forks; and, most importantly, they have mirrors and switches. They look like they could actually work…
Then, you have the other end of the scale: wild-looking things, with clearlynonsensical design cues. For a long time, it would be ‘touch-screen controls’ and ‘rear-view cameras’ which marked out these show bikes as a load of old pony. Then it was internet connections in the early 2000s. More science fiction than anything else, they might have hydraulic drive to both wheels; centreless wheels running on massive circular bearings; giant rim-mounted brakes; and a riding position only a world-class yoga master could hold for more than 30 seconds.
Then there are the sort of ‘in-between’ show bikes. These might well be built, but there’s something about them that makes you think, ‘Nah!’ Suzuki’s B-King fell into this category when it was unveiled at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show in 2001: a naked Hayabusa was an eminently plausible piece of kit, and as was shown when it was released, it worked really well. What made us nervous though was the effing supercharger bolted on there. A naked bike powered by a 180bhp 1300cc superbike motor is silly enough, adding forced induction to give it 250bhp was in another realm. So, here’s our guide to the best, and wackiest, show bikes ever made…
Aprilia Blue Marlin
This is probably one of the most sensible show bikes ever made, certainly from Italy: a naked retro café racer, using the engine from the firm’s RSV Mille V-twin superbike, in a neat steel tube chassis.
