Dutch product designer Luuc Muis takes pleasure in the finer things in life—incredible craftsmanship, technology, a good steak and everything about riding a motorcycle. That's why his innovations are not only sleek but also include attention to every sensory detail.
Most recently, LUUC.MUIS.CREATIONS was inspired by Barbara Custom Motorcycles to design an e-bike prototype that merges a stripped-down 1970's BMW R80 with its own version of an electric motor called the E-drive. Specifically tailored for this project concept, Muis reuses the engine crankcase of the R combustion engine exchanging, as he explains, "the entire engine with an Electric drive-train while keeping the BMW aesthetics of the R engine."
However, the bike is not just beautiful to behold, it would also deliver a holistic riding experience, which Muis believes is not just part of the pleasure but also a factor directly linked to safety. After all, much of the understanding we have of our bikes while we ride is communicated through sounds, smells, and sensations.
For Muis it's simple: "Give E-drive the sense of functional sound, the sound to indicate: the engine is on, someone is approaching, acceleration, speed, malfunction (we have all heard the weird ticking noises in our cars at some point). This sound could easily be generated through mechanical principles since it's nothing else than frequency air displacement."
Additionally, Muis insists that we relate strongly through the movement and handling of a regular bike, characteristics that don't need to be lost to the typical one-gear e-bike motor. Instead, he suggests adding a gearbox, which "keeps the experience of doing something with your machine," an interaction that can help keep riders safe.
All this comes in a gorgeous package, one that references the popular vintage roots of the R80 with more modern, seemingly weightless touches like the floating saddle, silvery spokes, dropped bars and original tank repurposed as a central hub.
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