For good reason, Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira has set the precedence for sci-fi bike concepts and prototypes. Now Yamaha has collaborated with Netflix to create a limited anime series, Tokyo Override, to take the limelight away. Yes, a Yamaha concept bike is going to be the center stage of this series set in a world 100 years from now.
Yamaha’s design team had a challenge set up for them to create a racing motorbike as the protagonist, and something that would be cooler than Akira. The design team envisioned what a dystopian world would be like in Tokyo a century from now. It all had to weave around the character’s personalities and the world order as presumed at that time.
Designer: Yamaha
Thus came into existence the Y/AI bike which is an AI-assisted ride that embodies the brand’s philosophy of Jin-Ki- Kanno; that is the oneness of the rider with the machine. Something here reminds me of the movie Avatar and the bond between the natives and their mystical animals. The machine has a strong influence with the AI elements to make the Y/AI concept supersmart. The Design team was tasked with pleasing motorbike and anime fans with a cohesive design. The Aerodynamics of the ride are optimized for high-speed racing, and so are the suspension systems that can take on the stress of long jumps.
The color of the bike has a layered effect to it which creates a sense of dynamism when it swerves around the turns or navigates the city streets of Tokyo in a future time. The heads-up display of the bike is positioned on the sides in a V-shape rather than in the front. Holographic displays are going to be common by that time, so the bike will keep the peripheral vision clear of any blind spots, showing all the vital telemetric data in the field of view. The wheels also seem to be made from some advanced tech that is see-through and doesn’t have any traces of being made out of rubber.
The bike looks insane in the official press release photos and is truly futuristic. We can’t wait to see the full-scale concept model of the Y/AI bike at the Moto Expo 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand slated to take place from 29 November to December 10.
