NonObject nUCLEUS motorcycle concept makes its boxy debut

It looks like Dell's not the only one that thinks boxy is in, with the folks at the NonObject design firm now also taking a decidedly hard-edged approach with their new motorcycle concept. Dubbed the nUCLEUS, the vehicle is described as a "zero emission, zero impact speed machine," albeit one that would seem to have a bit of trouble making sharp turns. That possible shortcoming aside, the concept is certainly unique enough, with it boasting an "animal-like behavior system" that allows it to get up on its "hind legs" when its in action and rest down flat when its at rest, as well as some interchangeable (but equally boxy) side panels. Of course, there's not much in the way of technical details, but you can at least get a look at it from every angle by checking out the video after the break.

[Via Autoblog Green]

[Esat Dedezade @ May 13th 2008 1:15PM]

If that thing handles as good as it looks....

Then it will be like driving a rectangular block of meta... oh wait....

[Ayman @ May 13th 2008 1:27PM]

Does it come in a Box

[Blackstar @ May 13th 2008 4:07PM]

Let me guess, Mikey from Orange County Choppers has been designing bikes again? Either him or Volvo.

[Seth @ May 13th 2008 11:22PM]

Will it blend?

[Hunter Hastings @ May 13th 2008 1:19PM]

Dude... That thing is INTENSE. I'd never drive one, but I'd get a huge kick out of seeing one go down the road.

[Gavin @ May 13th 2008 1:46PM]

When it goes down the road on it's side in a fiery spray of sparks and limbs!

[j_g_puff @ May 13th 2008 1:45PM]

I'm afraid these will never make it on to the road...there's nowhere to put a tax disc.

[majortom @ May 13th 2008 4:21PM]

uh... small point. One does not drive a motorcycle. One RIDES a motrocycle.

[Richard @ May 13th 2008 1:20PM]

I can't watch the vid at work, but if that pic is really what it looks like... this thing had better be cheap.

[woogs @ May 13th 2008 1:20PM]

Wow. Seriously, wow. They've managed to grab all the aerodynamic instability of the old dustbin fairings, with none of the associated speed improvements. Then, to top things off, they've made even the simplest of maintenance tasks a horrible chore. But no, they weren't done pooping on this particular sundae yet, they made it ugly as sin to boot!

It's like the designer in question actively tried to find everything that was every done poorly on any motorcycle and put it all together in one spectacular failing of a bike. I bet it leaks oil like an HD and has Ducati's "money lubricated" clutch, too.

[Nate @ May 13th 2008 3:50PM]

I can only imagine what a strong gust of wind against the side of this would feel like at 65+ miles per hour.

[adam @ May 13th 2008 1:21PM]

where does the person go... ...

[xtole @ May 13th 2008 1:21PM]

Wow, thats one sexy...... box.

[Mitch @ May 13th 2008 1:21PM]

Here's the problem. You see that great big fin looking vent at the front? Yeah well when you're riding down the highway at 80 miles and hour, the up-forces under that fin are going to be insane. Anyone who's ridden a motorcycle will tell you that front fenders are shaped slim for a reason...particularly in a bike built for speed, that is going to be a fatal flaw in design. It's putting all the resistance right under the rider's face, which means you better be leaning way, WAY forward if a big gust of wind hits you.

[Marc @ May 13th 2008 1:25PM]

"zero impact"

Ya. I'm not interested at all.

[Mike @ May 13th 2008 3:00PM]

The reason it's zero impact is that no one will ever ride one.

[Todd in Sonoma @ May 13th 2008 2:56PM]

Does "zero impact" mean you can't crash it?

Can someone look up "impact" in the dictionary and tell me if the word is used is ever used incorrectly in the media?

[Evan @ May 13th 2008 3:19PM]

"zero impact"?

No, it will have one very big, very bloody, impact.

[Deaner @ May 13th 2008 3:22PM]

zero impact? Tell that to the poor sap you hit with one of those corners. Forget the box and just put blades on the front.

[Ken @ May 13th 2008 1:26PM]

Side wind gusts will be a bitch on this thing. I applaud the design effort though.

[Todd in Sonoma @ May 13th 2008 2:56PM]

Side wind gusts may cause an impact!

[Idlemind @ May 13th 2008 1:28PM]

I looked at that and thought it was just masking to hide the features; kind of like how car companies ugly up their prototypes when they are testing them to stop competition from snapping spy pics..

[w00t @ May 13th 2008 1:30PM]

Wow... that's boxier than... well a box!

[Farris @ May 13th 2008 1:32PM]

Shouldn't this be "via TheKneeslider?" They reported on this before AutoblogGreen.

I mean, I know Autoblog is your sister and all, but srsly.

[whatishalo? @ May 13th 2008 1:33PM]

So are all those sharp 90 edges designed to slice you in half if you end up in an accident?

[Ian @ May 13th 2008 1:44PM]

well umm am i the only person who thinks this might be a joke?

[Tara @ May 13th 2008 1:47PM]

If it wasn't May 13 I'd swear this was an April Fool's prank.

[Stiv @ May 13th 2008 1:52PM]

It must be a joke. I see 4 possible controls. It needs:
1. Front brake
2. Rear brake
3. Clutch
4. Shifter
5. Accelerator
6. Some kind of thing to make it go up and down (whatever the heck that's all about).

[bones @ May 13th 2008 2:27PM]

It has to be a joke.

And a not very funny joke either.

[G-Money @ May 13th 2008 2:29PM]

Not saying it's not a joke, but the fact that it's "zero emissions" probably means electric, which probably means no manual clutch and no transmission, which significantly reduces the requisite number of rider controls, a la el scooter.

[chickenator @ May 13th 2008 3:10PM]

it needs accelerometer

[d840 @ May 13th 2008 3:35PM]

@chickenator:

You're assuming that this thing would actually accelerate.....

[kbiel @ May 13th 2008 1:45PM]

Judging by the last skin shown on the "motorcycle" (a graphic of a Marxist Forum paper), I'm guessing these people are watermelons, right? (Green on the outside and red on the inside.)

[sean @ May 13th 2008 1:58PM]

I'll drive that bad boy

[Chou @ May 13th 2008 2:01PM]

Am I the only one who actually thinks thats kind-of a cool design? I mean, it'd be nice to cut out a bit from the front fender to give it a better turn radius... but being the industrial-head I am, I'd absolutely love to take it for a spin!

[cwren @ May 13th 2008 2:02PM]

The person who designed that should be fired.

[Dennis @ May 13th 2008 2:50PM]

Thats not how you use the word fired.... I think you mean shot. Right?

[Epignosis @ May 13th 2008 9:13PM]

One of the best.

[King Kang @ May 13th 2008 2:05PM]

I've been studying design at school for years now, and I must say that this is one sexy motorcycle...
It gets rid of what is considered pretty/tough nowadays, and goes back to the basic idea of 'a two-wheeled engine you ride on'.
By throwing everything else overboard; fancy tanks, chrome parts, ugly tires, eye-popping paintjobs, skulls, chains, spikes extravagant pipes, neonlights and all other completely unnecessary gimmicks (=resources) they put on motorcycles nowadays...

If it would actually be able to drive; kudos to the designers.

[Evan @ May 13th 2008 3:28PM]

What are they teaching designers? Because these designers seem to be completely out of touch with what real people living in the real world want.

[Matthew @ May 13th 2008 4:40PM]

ok, you've got your post-modern motorcycle, how about saftey and ergonomics? they could make a plain grayscale motorcylce that works well... didnt have to be a rectangular box over a mo-ped

[popeye @ May 13th 2008 2:09PM]

The problem is no lean angle due to the sides hanging down too far, and the seat area has hard edge corners whisky tango foxtrot...!

[Danger mouse @ May 14th 2008 12:46AM]

In the design world, people have square arses & flat legs. Think squarebob.

And as for architects... well they're mostly just 2D!

[poulan @ May 13th 2008 2:25PM]

This is nothing more than a drawing, not a concept. If any of you know anything about motorcycles then you would realise this. Quite frankly, I wouldn't know where to start because as another poster put it, it's like putting every motorcycle design disaster into a single package. I can add to this that the sharp angles of the seat would quickly carve into your thighs as riding a motorcycle requires rider input via varying weight distribution and therefore movement and is much more involving (and fun) that driving in a metal box.

[DillRod @ May 13th 2008 2:27PM]

Did the author of this post bother to visit the website in question or did you just copy some other bloggers post like you usually do?

As per the website:
nUCLEUS is a conceptual project that will be featured in NONOBJECT Design Fiction Book.

Is it a joke? No. Is it real? NO!
damn, people are lame!

[riggs @ May 13th 2008 2:33PM]

shit and here i thought the real bike was under the box.

[kingu @ May 13th 2008 2:33PM]

It even has a skin for marxists.

[John from Buffalo @ May 13th 2008 2:34PM]

I would buy one today, if they were being sold. That's fo-sho.

[Mr. S. @ May 13th 2008 2:35PM]

While i would never ride it, and i think it ignors the organic beauty of the motorcycle, I do appresiate seeing the grips and rear sets in such a simple form. On long long rides i use to think how strang it was to sit on a bike where the only thing holding me on was gravity, and that my hands and feet sit on tiny little pegs sticking out of basicly a engine and two wheels. So, cool! (I'll stick to my japanese bikes thank you)

[Mr. S. @ May 13th 2008 2:36PM]

And yes, I can't spell today.