6 Stunning Motorcycle Concepts Inspired by Iconic Auto Brands

You might not be aware that certain iconic car brands started their lives exclusively as motorcycle manufacturers: BMW's first production vehicle, for example, was the BMW R24 motorcycle, while Honda's was the “Dream” D-type bike.

Over the years we've seen engineers make their own custom motorcycles based on iconic brands: one Moscow-based garage made a custom steampunk BMW motorcycle, while one individual made a scooter using a VW fender.

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Clearly, privy to the fact that people love seeing motorcycle versions of iconic car brands, the motorcycle arm of Australian insurance firm Budget Direct has released an impressive set of motorbike renders paying tribute to some of the world's most famous car brands. 

1. Aston Martin Café Racer

This imagined café racer Aston Martin is miles away from the iconic car brand's real-life AMB-001 motorcycle, made in collaboration with Brough Superior.

Still, it has a unique retro charm, inspired by the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model, part of Aston Martin's $7.2-million DBZ Centenary Collection. 

2. Bentley Touring Bike

When you think touring bike, it's very likely that the Honda Gold Wing will be the first thing in your mind. Inspired by that design, the team at Budget Direct drew up a luxury Bentley version of the touring bike.

It comes with spacious seating for two, and a pair of large saddlebags for ample storage space. The design is beautifully rounded off with an iconic Bentley grille that hides a large radiator to cool the bike's huge V-Twin motor.

3. Bugatti Superbike

The Bugatti Chiron, a record-breaking powerhouse, was used as the template for this stunning superbike render. "It’s only fitting to create a superbike based on the Chiron, but we didn’t settle for the standard model," the team at Budget Direct Motorcycle Insurance explains. 

Instead, they used the $19-million Bugatti La Voiture Noire for their vision of "the fastest (and most expensive) superbike ever made." The iconic Bugatti C-line, the wheels, the headlights, and the exposed carbon-fiber body panels are all taken straight from La Voiture Noire.

4. Mitsubishi Scooter

Not only did the people at Budget Direct use features derived from the car brands they imagined as motorbikes, they also tried to reflect the functionality and feel of each brand as best they could with their designs.

As such, their Mitsubishi scooter is characterized by its practicality, much like the Mitsubishi Mirage. "Small in size yet packing a large seat, our Mitsubishi scooter has rugged tires, comfortable suspension, and a familiar Dynamic Shield face. And like the Mirage, it gets the job done with minimal fuss," the people at Budget Direct explain.

5. Rivian Dirt Bike

Touted — a little prematurely — as a 'Tesla-killer', Rivian's R1T electric pickup truck and R1S SUV are sleek numbers that may soon to be genuine contenders for the best all-electric off-roaders on the market.

This Rivian dirt bike is a nod to the Rivian R1T's design, with its silver finish, and oval stadium lights with LED headlamps. It certainly looks the part, and, much like the RIT and R1S, sleek images are the best we have at the moment, with both slated for delivery in 2021.

6. Tesla Sports Bike

Based on the upcoming Tesla Roadster v2.0, this Tesla superbike design includes cold gas thrusters courtesy of SpaceX. We could definitely imagine Elon Musk rocking up to a post-launch afterparty on one of these.

The Tesla sports bike includes twin hub-mounted electric motors, air suspension, and massive brakes. Slightly more angular than the Roadster's curved look, the design nonetheless looks like it would be right at home in Tesla's real fleet of vehicles — especially alongside the Cybertruck's sharp angles.

All of this makes us hungry for even more motorcycle designs: whether they are render concepts like this Akira-style superbike, or real-life modded crossovers like the Harley Davidson Blue Edition, we can't wait to see what the future looks like on two wheels.