We’ve told you about the S3 flying motorcycle before and now it looks like another company is looking to enter the flying bike market.  A YouTube video has emerged with a prototype 4-wheeled tilting motorcycle tethered but holding a somewhat steady hover with its rider aboard.

Lazareth LM847 4-wheeled leaning motorcycle

The machine is the latest invention of Ludovic Lazareth.  Lazareth is no stranger to “bleeding edge” if not impractical technical designs. Lazareth also created the Lazareth LM847 4-wheeled tilting motorcycle.   That machine sported a Maserati  4.7 liter 470 HP V-8 engine, 4-independent swing arms and hub centered steering.

So it should come as no surprise that Lazareth decided to “take to the skies”.  His newest creation, the S3 flying motorcycle uses a number of powerplants to move the vehicle down the road and through the sky.

Powerplants

What appears to be the same 470 HP Maserati V-8 propels the bike for its road-going duties.  There is some discussion that the Maserati V-8 shown in the photos is fake and actually houses some type of electric drivetrain.  Something other than the big V-8 would make sense since the bike reportedly weighs in at 308 pounds (140 kg).

But to take the bike to the skies requires some very different equipment.  To fly, the bike is equipped with a JetCat jet turbine in the hub of each wheel.  With the press of a button, four hydraulic actuators tilt the wheels out and up.

In its flying configuration, the S3 looks like an oversized drone with a rider aboard.  Once transitioned for flight and the turbines powered up, the machine can rise from the road and enter flight.

The four jet turbines combine to produce 529 (240 kg) pounds of thrust which is enough to lift the claimed 308-pound machine.  If more lifting power is necessary, Lazareth claims two additional JetCat turbines can be added.

Gitex Rollout

The prototype has been hover tested to a height of 3.3 feet (1 meter) with Lazareth’s girlfriend as the pilot.  Based on this capability, Lazareth will launch the S3 at the Gitex in Dubai this October.

At that time, they will take pre-orders for approximately $560,000.

Vezi sursa