It’s been two full years since we revealed the first design patents for the planned Lightning Motorcycles fully enclosed bike. While there’s been no word on the project since then, it might finally have a name, as the company has applied for rights to use the title “Streetliner” for future motorcycles.

The readers’ comments on our original story leave no doubt that Lightning still has a lot of work to do when it comes to convincing the public that it can really deliver on the promises made on machines like the Strike production bike. But there’s no doubt that the 218-mph record set by the original LS-218 model back in 2012 was an impressive achievement. During the pandemic, the company was forced to scale down and relocate its US operation to a corner of Corbin’s facility in Hollister, California, but the firm has plans to return to Bonneville this year with a target of 250 mph for the latest-generation LS-212.

The enclosed streamliner project is more than just a set of drawings. Shortly after we revealed the bike’s blueprints, Lightning provided electric-vehicle website Electrek with footage of an early prototype of the machine on the road. It lacked windows at the time, but it clearly mirrored the images seen here in terms of its silhouette and vast wheelbase. The “Streetliner” name, intended for commercial use on a motorcycle according to the trademark application, seems sure to be the title of the production version.

Of course, teardrop-shaped and fully enclosed bikes aren’t a new idea. Swiss firm Peraves spent decades making such machines as the MonoTracer and now the electric MonoRacer, with a design very similar to the one proposed by Lightning. These “bikes” achieved remarkable top speeds and impressive fuel economy.

Given that the biggest stumbling block for electric motorcycles is their relatively short range, particularly at highway speeds, the appeal of a machine that is vastly more aerodynamic than current designs is critical when you’re relying on battery power; just look at the lengths that British firm WMC is going to with its WMC250EV. The ability to cut drag on a bike is more significant than ever as we enter the electric era.

Lightning’s move toward a fully enclosed future is also evident in its next Bonneville record bike, currently under construction with assistance from Corbin. An image of that machine, revealed on Corbin’s website, shows that the existing LS-218′s chassis and powertrain is being wrapped in a partially streamlined fairing.

There’s no shortage of skepticism around Lightning Motorcycles’ bold plans, which include the use of Chinese manufacturing to make its bikes much more affordable than its rivals. But the firm has managed to stay the course for a decade since it first grabbed headlines with the LS-218′s 218-mph-record speed run. That’s more than can be said of several of its contemporary early competitors in the battle for electric-bike supremacy.

As well as the “Streetliner” name, surely intended for the streamliner, Lightning has also applied for a US trademark on the title “AeroBlade” for another motorcycle. Again, this seems like a model name with an extreme focus on aerodynamics.

Sourse

#Bike #Moto #Motorcycle