It is in Annecy that Ludovic Lazareth prepares his flying motorcycle. The manufacturer received us in his workshop to reveal in detail this futuristic machine capable of rolling and flying with or without a pilot.
The first flying motorcycle in the world is French. It was created by Lazareth, an exceptional car and motorcycle manufacturer. Ludovic Lazareth opened the doors of his Annecy workshop to us to reveal the LMV 496, a futuristic vehicle.
“The flying motorcycle has a future in the mobility of the future”, summarizes Ludovic Lazareth, the inventor of the machine.
“It will allow you to drive and depending on the traffic, the state of the road, the need or the pleasure of flying, of taking to the air”, continues the founder.
This bike is awesome. It is derived from the 847, a 4691cc 4-wheel tilting motorcycle fitted with a Maserati V8 engine. But the similarity is only on the design. One triggering a lever, the four wheels are placed horizontally transforming the motorcycle into an aircraft.
“To make a motorcycle fly, you have to lighten it as much as possible, so I redesigned the 847 starting from the idea that the wheels could unfold like wings. That’s how the LMV 496 was born. “, explained to us Ludovic Lazareth.
The motorcycle has therefore been completely redesigned and its weight is now only 140kg, but can support a weight of up to one tonne. The idea was to create a hybrid machine. The super-powerful engine has given way to an electric motor for driving on the road. it is already approved for this function.
Three times hybrid
To fly the electric is not enough. The center of the wheels has therefore been equipped with turbines JetCat spinning at 96,000 rpm. The thrust is 240kg, equivalent to a power of about 1300 horsepower.
“For two wheels, the hybrid motorization is not a gadget, it is the future of mobility. I have already created a motorcycle capable of running on electric in town and in combustion on the road”, confides the creator.
But the LMV 496 is not only hybrid in use (earth/air) and motorization (thermal electric). It is in piloting since in addition to piloting it physically, it can become a drone that can be controlled remotely.
“It’s its ‘transforming’ side which is interesting. Its silhouette gives it the look of a drone which will become a vehicle of the future in a remote-controlled or remote-controlled version”, notes Ludovic Lazareth.
This futuristic approach is the signature of Ludovic Lazareth who creates for individuals, but also for the cinema, motorcycles or dream cars. We have seen his creations in several films such as Cab 4 by Luc Besson Baylone AD by Mathieu Kassovitz or thoroughly by Nicolas Benamou. Ludovic Lazareth also unveiled the Batcycle, Batman’s motorcycle for the video game gotham nights produced by Warner Bros. Games.
From now on, the inventor is concentrating on the LMV 496. The first tests have been conclusive and a fully operational demonstrator will be unveiled this summer during Gitex in Dubai. It was at this show that the first prototype had already been exhibited two years ago, making an impression on visitors. And the announced price, around 500,000 euros, did not even frighten the enthusiasts.
