In the early 90’s the Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia was surfing the wave of success, churning out innovative scooters for a booming market.
Aprilia, the Italian marque of championship-winning racing motorcycles, decided to get into slower transportation for the masses.
It was then that “il patron” Ivano Beggio, whose dream was to create an eternal design icon of his own like the Vespa or the Fiat 500, commissioned the French star architect Philippe Starck, to create a new motorcycle.
The Aprilia Motò 6.5, the motorcycle for people who couldn’t tell you how valves work, would be designed by someone better known for home goods like chairs, mirrors, televisions, and television remotes.
For Starck, it was his first project in the world of two wheels.
“Compromises were considered blasphemies”, Beggio wrote in his autobiography, and the engineers went mad before the almost impossible task of developing an extremely compact motorcycle with organic, round shapes.
Even the head of testing refused to collaborate and Beggio remained the only person convinced of the soundness of the project that was an economic flop for Aprilia
The rideability of the Aprilia Motò 6.5 was a victim of this because of the unfavorable position of the center of gravity, due mainly to the innovative, bowl-shaped exhaust system under the engine. The poor grip of the rear wheel during acceleration and the oscillations at higher speeds were partially improved by fitting tires with a soft rubber-compound taken from racing-tires and by making last-minute changes to the chassis geometry shortly after production got underway.
This scooter never saw the light of day. And, given what it would have been, that wasn't a bad thing.
Starck decided to pursue his passion for two wheels following a chance meeting with Ivano Beggio, owner of Aprilia, at the 1991 Salone del Mobile.
Starck decided to pursue his passion for two wheels following a chance meeting with Ivano Beggio, owner of Aprilia, at the 1991 Salone del Mobile.
Talking about motorcycles, and deciding to embark on a journey together that would combine the worlds of two wheels and that of design, the Parisian creative was given free rein. He decided to give Aprilia a faired scooter with futuristic shapes.
And that's how the Lama was born.
The prototype (only two of which were built) was shown to the Aprilia dealer network in 1992.
The prototype (only two of which were built) was shown to the Aprilia dealer network in 1992.
To put it mildly, they weren't too keen on the "thing" Starck had designed. "Let's hope nothing ever comes of it, otherwise who would we sell it to?" said more than one dealer.
And that's how the Lama died in prototype.
Starck also designed another prototype that wasn't realized. It was called the Aprilia X-ray, which was in my opinion a better design. More motorcycle, less fashion
ReplyDeleteBeauty is in the eye of the beholder, but, except for apparent cramped footboard space, I think it would be fairly popular - with scooter buyers, not motorheads! Service personnel would likely hate it, though. I wonder if Starck planned storage space under the seat, because it would be a shame to spoil the lines with a clunky luggage rack.
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