Officially launched to an international audience at the American International Motorcycle Expo in Florida, Skycraft is the world‰Ûªs first purpose built freestyle motocross machine and a collaboration between action sports innovators Unit and world-renowned motorsport entity Triple Eight Race Engineering Australia.
Conceptualised by Unit co-founder Ian Everest, the Skycraft prototype was engineered by an expert team at Triple Eight, led by acclaimed Technical Director Ludo Lacroix.
A central goal was weight reduction. Skycraft is constructed almost entirely from carbon fibre and titanium components. At just 75 kilograms (165 pounds), the bike is over 25 percent lighter than a standard motocross machine.
"The original design brief recognised the opportunity for an ‰Û÷out of the box‰Ûª product for freestyle motocross." Everest stated. "All other forms of motorcycle sports use purpose built machines.
‰ÛÏFMX riders have no option but to adapt and heavily modify race bikes. It made sense to explore what an FMX specific bike might look like. Being a concept motorcycle it also meant we were not constrained or restricted by production or cost requirements.
‰ÛÏAs an experimental platform, Skycraft will allow for test data and rider feedback to lead towards a potential production bike," he added.
The Skycraft concept challenges conventional motorcycle design rules with a heavy duty carbon fibre monocoque frame containing a fuel cell. The tail design has integrated grab handles and a forked seat. While engineering boundaries were pushed even further with the silencer integrated inside a carbon fibre swingarm.
