In the world of special production, limited edition
motorcycles, there is one that was much-awaited, and left many wondering if it
would ever come to fruition since the company was founded back in 2001. This is
the Vyrus, a hub-centre steered motorcycle that strongly resembles the
legendary Bimota Tesi.
This is no accident, as Vyrus split-off from Bimota
as the Rimini, Italy maker was facing financial difficulties. Taking the basis of Massimo Tamburini’s
Tesi – thesis in Italian, Vyrus continued developing the basic design, which
has now culminated in the Vyrus 986 M2.
Using a Honda CBR600R inline-four as its powerplant,
the Vyrus 986 M2 uses the engine as a stressed-member, cradled between two
billet-machined plates, just like its Tesi forebear. What sets the 986 M2 apart
is the hub-centre steering, something that is difficult to execute well for
motorcycles, but Tamburini’s dream.
The advantage of hub-centre swingarm steering for
the motorcycle’s front wheel is anto-dive is inherent in the design, and with
tweaking of the actuation rods and steering geometry, the bike can be made to
rise under braking. This will be something familiar to those who have ridden
motorcycles with leading link front suspension, like the venerable Honda Cub.
Obvious disadvantages are the weight of the entire
system, plus the swingarm having to be wide enough to allow for adequate
steering movement. What the hub-centre design does give you is this perfectly
neutral steering through corners at high-speed, something almost unnatural in
its performance.
Hand-built to order from some 750 components and
discrete parts, the Vyrus 986 M2 comes with carbon-fibre bodywork, de rigeur at
this level of motorcycle. There are two versions available, a hand-built
factory option tailored to the customer, or a kit version which is assembled by
the customer using their own CBR600R engine, and pricing starts from 25,000
euros.
