Boutique motorcycle builder Vyrus has brought another beast to life. Their new 202 horsepower Ducati-powered motorcycle, the Alyen 988 has just come out of Rimini, Italy. It’s a 1,285cc two wheeled weirdness in a good sense. The only thing standard on this motorcycle is Ducati’s 90-degree V-twin Superquadro engine with desmodromic valves, if you can call that standard. Everything else is Vyrus going wacky again with its design.
The bike comes with no less than two swingarms for both the front and rear suspension. Yeah, you heard that right. But worry not, Vyrus created a ‘hydraulic wired’ steering system connected to the handlebars, which allows the front axle and wheel, together with the brakes, steer.
What they tried to achieve was a complete separation of braking and steering forces, allowing for as much or as little brake dive you want. That means braking super late and into the corners without affecting the bike’s steering geometry and making it feel well planted and consistent in the turn. On the other side though, you should expect a wide turning circle, without the usual side-to-side steering lock you’re used to with a conventional motorcycle. Also, the feedback in the handlebars feels a little bit indirect.
The new Alyen 988 comes with a heavy front, with a huge set of fairings and barkbusters, making it look a lot wider than what our eyes are accustomed to. The hump shaped frame of the Vyrus is made from magnesium while the amazing bodywork is composite and superbly detailed, with flared underseat exhausts and those sexy carbon rims, making the bike look as an evil beast.
If you’re curious about the price, this haven’t been made public yet, but with the previous Vyrus bikes in mind, expect nothing less than US$90k.
Dealership and where to buy in the USA?