Design and Construction
The Akira bike (Kaneda's bike from the film) will be the inspiration for the form of this motorcycle. It will, first and foremost, be a functional vehicle. The similiarties to the Akira Bike will follow from those guidelines.
The design process.
Embarking on this project will cost me a lot of time, work, and money. Since 2001 and I have been studying in depth motorcycle design and motorcycle physics. I have also taught myself to MIG weld and torch weld / cut, and recently plasma cutting. In the upcoming months I will also be teaching myself composite fabrication, sheet metal forming, and chassis design and construction. Life is short, one can never stop learning...
The basic procedure will be to build a custom frame and fit the parts from the Honda CX500 onto it. I will start with a prototype frame, it is to be made of 1" mild steel square tubing, complete the design and construction of the prototype and work out any bugs inherient in the design. At the point I will go back and incorporate any changes needed into a new design and build the entire frame anew, with a bran spanking new engine. Only after this official model is done will I work to fabricate the aerodynamic fairings and windscreen.
The procedure will go as follows...
- Decide on a design concept
- Dissassemble the Honda and measure and model the engine, braking, electrical,
and transmission components
- Design a frame that fits the a)Akira motorcycle design, b)the parts from
the Honda AND c)is still functional and driveable (the most difficult part!)
- Build the frame
- Assemble the parts
- build and assemble the fiberglass body
There is some info out there on the technical aspects of the Akira powerbike, however most of it is rife with pure speculation. The designs I have seen as of yet tend to underestimate the necessary size of this vehicle. I know this because I have built a full size mockup intended to make sure one could comfortably enter and exit the vehicle, steer, and operate it. It will NOT be able to hold two people, despite the scene in Akira which depicts this. (They were a) teenagers, and b) cartoons after all)
I will not be making available specific information on my design or the technical aspects of it until the vehicle is built and tested. I dont want anyone killing themselves on my bad ideas!
Matus