Lotus Motorcycles C-01 now 'ready for the road'

Thu, 20 Feb 2014

When we first laid eyes on leaked images of the Lotus Motorcycles C-01, we wondered if its laid-back, sport cruiser shape was really appropriate for a motorcycle bearing any connection with Colin Chapman and the company's famous "add lightness" mantra. We've now seen official pictures of the bike in multiple color schemes, including classic black and gold, British racing green and even a variant that resembles Martini livery, and while we think it looks pretty cool, our opinion hasn't really changed.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the C-01 isn't an embodiment of the Lotus ethos, as the company that intends to build it isn't really Lotus at all, its builders – German racing firm Kodewa and tuner Holzer Group – merely having licensed the name of the British sportscar maker. It was designed by Daniel Simon, who once worked for Volkswagen and consulted for Bugatti and is the man credited with creating the reborn Tron Light Cycles. Still, looking past its questionable heritage, the C-01 looks pretty darn awesome, and there are some interesting bits that have us looking forward to the production version that's reportedly due within the next two months.

As expected, power comes in at 200 horsepower, courtesy of a modified version of KTM's 1,195-cc V-twin engine. The chassis is made up of steel, titanium and carbon fiber, with a seat height of about 28 inches. Its wheelbase, at about 65 inches, is a full 10 inches longer than a real street-legal superbike, and its front end is raked way out in front with a 19-inch wheel. Those dimensions mean we shouldn't expect much racetrack prowess, unless its rider is only planning on going in a straight line. Indeed, with a claimed dry weight of under 400 pounds, the Lotus Motorcycles C-01 ought to be mighty quick down the quarter mile.

Check out the image gallery above, and feel free to read the press release and specifications chart below for more.

Lotus Motorcycle C-01 Road Ready

Following two years of careful planning and intense development, Kodewa is delighted to announce that the prototype of the world's first motorcycle to bear the legendary Lotus marque is now road registered and ready for action.

Kodewa has been granted a license to produce the motorcycle by Group Lotus plc, the world renowned sportscar manufacturer and engineering consultancy.

The C-01 combines ample power via a V-twin engine with a distinctive body designed by Daniel Simon integrating carbon fibre, titanium and aerospace quality steel.

The C-01 motorcycle is not designed, engineered or produced by Group Lotus plc but is the result of a collaboration between motorsport veterans under the leadership of Kodewa, lead by Dr Colin Kolles. The development on the C-01 was carried out with the support of Holzer Group (co-owners of Kalex) and design guru Daniel Simon. Drawing on their wealth of motorsport experience, the team of engineers has designed a unique high performance superbike.

The C-01 will be available in a range of liveries some of which pay homage to Lotus' sporting pedigree. A customisation service is also available, limited only by the imagination of the client. With an exclusive production run of just 100 units, superbike collectors and fans of the Lotus brand will need to move fast to secure one.

The original idea to create the C-01 came from Kodewa's Dr Colin Kolles. Speaking about the project he said: "We set out to create a bike that isn't just great to ride but also represents a piece of art in motion. Over the years I have seen my fair share of style over substance, what this bike brings to the market is a unique combination of both: state of the art technology with a truly jaw-dropping aesthetic."

Commenting on the C-01 Günther Holzer, CEO of Holzer Group said: "I was one of the first people to ride it and I have to say I was very impressed. Together we have found that delicate balance between raw, aggressive power and breath-taking handling. The team has created something very special, it looks incredible, it sounds fantastic but above all, the ride is sensational. I'm very happy."

Designer Daniel Simon said: "The design process of the C-01 was a labour of love, there were many challenges, ensuring that the bike not only touches your visual senses with its timeless blend of classic appeal and modern execution, but that is safe and ergonomically sound was critical to me. We have worked hard to create a motorcycle with very distinctive features such as a clean main body, an extremely low side profile, a bold stance, a unique air intake, logical partline solutions and clean graphics."

ENGINE

Construction: 2-cylinder 4-stroke engine, 75° V-style

Capacity: 1,195 cm³
Bore: 105 mm
Stroke: 69 mm
Power Approx: 200 HP
Transmission: 6-gear jaw-type shift transmission
Lubrication: Dry sump lubrication
Main shaft ratio: 40:76
Lay shaft ratio: 15:41
Cooling: Water cooling
Clutch: Hydraulic anti-hopping clutch

CHASSIS

Frame: Aero tech steel/Titanium/Carbon fibre frame
Fork: Upside down
Suspension strut: Twin suspension strut
Spring travel front: 80 mm
Spring travel rear: 70 mm
Brake system front: Twin brake disc, ø320mm, four piston calipers
Brake system rear: One brake disc, ø220mm, two piston calipers
Chain: X-Ring resp. O-Ring
Head tube ang: 59°
Fork ang: 54°
Wheel base: 1.645±15 mm
Ride height: 90 mm
Height of seat: 710 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 10.5 l
Dry weight: 181 kg
Wheel front: 3.00×19; 120/70ZR19
Wheel rear: 6.00×19; 190/55ZR17

By Jeremy Korzeniewski