Objects: Darth Vader's Motorcycle

-Man of Many

First impressions of the Bandit9 Odyssey may leave you mumbling, “What the hell?” under your breath, but give this motorcycle its dues—it’s a very well-designed and high-performing bike. The unibody frame is made of 904L steel. The seat features memory foam and Italian leather. The rims are Borani, the forks Marzocchi, and the brakes Beringer Aerotec. In other words, every element of this bike is extremely high-end.

The OLED display is an innovative touch. Top it all off with a 1400cc V-Twin and you’ve got a great ride. Alternatively, you can select a dual-drive electric engine and stay green even while you roar down the road.

But it’s the overall design that makes you cock your head to the side and squint. It leaves you wondering what you’re looking at. It looks like someone draped a saddle blanket over a fence, or grabbed something with a hot pad. You don’t see the engine, the tank, or anything, outside of the wheels and handlebar, that makes you think motorcycle.

And maybe that’s a good thing. Bandit9 makes a good point that motorcycle design hasn’t evolved. (Why fix something that’s not broke, right?) Bandit9 is making a name for itself by departing from that vintage and accepted look. It seems to be working for them. Once you get past your initial impression, and if you can keep an open mind, the bike is actually kind of cool. You might just go from asking “what the hell” to “why not?”