Italian startup introduces award-winning composite motorcycle
Carboni e Metalli’s Apollo mission-inspired bike combines carbon fiber composites with 3D-printed metal, winning a recent “Best Motorcycle” award.
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The Lunar Project concept motorcycle. Source | Carboni e Metalli
Italian startup Carboni e Metalli (Varano Melegari, Italy) has developed a composites-intensive concept motorcycle that pays homage to the Apollo missions. The Lunar Project motorcycle recently won the “Best of Show” award for best motorcycle at the 2019 Wildays in Italy, where the company presented the bike.
The Lunar Project is based on a KTM 250GS motorcycle, combining the original bike’s steel frame and a two-stroke engine with advanced technologies such as a carbon fiber composite sub-frame, a rear swingarm built from a combination of carbon fiber and 3D-printed titanium.
“In 1969, mankind first stepped on the moon. Now, 50 years later, we wanted to pay homage to that historical achievement doing what we do best in the part of the world: combining unique materials and advanced technologies with artisanal craftsmanship and passionate design,” says Massimo Bercella, co-founder of Carboni e Metalli.
“Our footprint is on hi-tech manufacturing processes and we wanted to show the impact of space-related techniques into a traditional market such as the motorcycles,” adds Michele Antolotti, the company’s other co-founder.
The company plans to showcase the bike at a series of events this year, and says it is also working on several new projects.
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