There is a significant difference between innovation and novelty. An innovation solves a serious and outstanding problem in a fresh, new way. A novelty is difference for its own sake, accomplishing no meaningful purpose.
Although motorcycling has certainly seen its share of novelties throughout its history, it also has been the beneficiary of many true innovations that re-aimed the industry in a direction it either pursued for many years or, in some instances, still follows to this day. Here are just a few.
Frameless Construction
There is perhaps no better example of innovation than the Vincent Series B Rapide of 1946, which presented radical, forward-looking thinking in the form of frameless construction. Like with Ducati’s new 1199 Panigale, the Vincent’s steering head was attached to its engine’s cylinder heads by a box structure, with the rear suspension affixed to the back of the engine/gearbox unit. In the early 1990s, New Zealand’s John Britten did something similar with his homebuilt V-Twin racebikes.
Aluminum Twin-Spar Chassis
Yet another example of innovation with long-standing effects is the 250cc racebike designed by Antonio Cobas, whose aluminum twin-spar chassis concept is now used on most of the world’s sport- and racebikes. He built eight of these in 1982, one of which was ridden in GPs by Sito Pons; in 1984, Pons won the Spanish GP at Jarama on a Kobas (Cobas’ brand) chassis. By 1986, Yamaha had adopted the concept in 500cc GP competition, and Honda was building its VFR750F with such chassis.
Adventure Bikes
As described in other stories this month, BMW’s popular GS series, the first of which was the 1981 R80 G/S, created an entirely new category of production motorcycles called “adventure.” But long ago, California desert racers rode their big, home-built bikes (“desert sleds”) on the highways and across the deserts in much the same spirit as that original G/S (“Gelande/Strasse,” which means off-road/road in German). BMW, however, deserves credit for putting such bikes into production.
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