HMSI preparing to launch the 2011 CBR250R this month, what better time to revisit the birth of those complex surfaces and lines. The Honda V4 Concept.
Introduced at INTERMOT Cologne 2008, the V4 Concept featured an ultra-sleek engine and wheels that were abstract and thus nonfunctional, taking away nothing from the jaw dropping design.
Representing a radical approach to VFR design, the V4 Concept conveys the excitement of motorcycle riding with highly emotional styling. Traditionally, VFR lines were penned down by Japanese designers. This time though, the reins were handed over to two youngsters from Europe who it seems didn’t disappoint.
As said at Honda’s website “Within that composed exterior, however, was a presence whose power exceeded all expectations. Again and again, Honda has done the unexpected to perfect this engine born of Honda’s racing challenges. Over time, it has become a symbol of the power of Honda motorcycles. In re-envisioning the V4 engine, simply creating an attractive appearance would not have been enough. Instead, the concept design also needed to respect the engine’s inner art.”
Most of the complicated surfaces have been taken onto the production model, which in itself is an engineering feat typical of the Japanese. The development of the VFR1200F required the Design and Engineering processes to happen simultaneously, which isn’t generally how it is done.
Concluding, Honda says “With a history of restrained aesthetics, Honda’s designs appeal to the heart via the sense of sight, effectively communicating with their riders and rewarding them with increased enjoyment every ride. Building on this tradition, Honda created the V4 Concept as the vanguard motorcycle in a new and revolutionary era of design. Many other exciting models were to follow.”
So follows the CBR250R.
Source: Honda Designers Talk