Vanguard Roadster Prototype

The Vanguard Roadster Prototype is the sole functional prototype of Vanguard Moto's debut motorcycle, a New York-built frameless roadster unveiled at the 2016 NY Motorcycle Show, presented today as a one-of-one collection piece.

The Story

Vanguard Moto Inc. was founded in New York at the end of 2013 by Francois-Xavier Terry, a former Bain and Company consultant and industrial cost specialist, and Edward Jacobs, a New York-trained industrial designer who has been engineering ground-breaking motorcycles since 2004. Their mandate was to rethink the standard architecture of a modern roadster from first principles rather than iterate on an existing platform. Development on this prototype began in late 2013, and the machine was revealed to the public at the New York Motorcycle Show in December 2016. It covered its initial testing mileage under its own power before being retired to collection status. Only one example exists.

The Build

The Roadster prototype is built around a frameless architecture in which the engine itself serves as the structural spine of the vehicle. A unitized crankcase houses an integrated exhaust system with advanced heat shielding, and the swing arm carries a shaft-drive with fully encapsulated rear suspension. The fuel tank is designed to rotate on demand, exposing all electric and electronic components underneath for service without teardown. The cockpit runs a digital dashboard with an integrated rear-view camera, LED front lighting, and rotating LED turn signals. The whole vehicle is engineered on large modular sub-assemblies, cutting both assembly time and non-quality costs at scale. Every major component was sourced from best-in-class industry suppliers to Vanguard's specification.

Performance

Because the Vanguard Roadster prototype was built to demonstrate an architectural thesis rather than chase a horsepower target, its value sits in its engineering signatures. The structural-engine layout removes the traditional main frame and yields a silhouette that reads unlike any production roadster. The shaft-drive plus encapsulated rear suspension delivers low-maintenance, weather-resistant power transfer. The rotating tank makes the entire electrical system serviceable in minutes rather than hours. The result is a fully functional collector's machine, running and titled, holding the distinction of being the singular surviving Vanguard Roadster prototype and displayed at TheArsenale's Miami store, TheArtpark.

Specifications

• Builder: Vanguard Moto Inc., New York
• Founders: Francois-Xavier Terry, Edward Jacobs
• Development Start: Late 2013
• Public Reveal: NY Motorcycle Show, December 2016
• Status: Functional prototype, initial testing mileage completed, sole existing example
• Frame: Frameless, structural engine
• Crankcase: Unitized
• Exhaust: Integrated, advanced heat shielding
• Drive: Shaft-drive swing arm
• Rear Suspension: Encapsulated
• Fuel Tank: Rotating access to electrics and electronics
• Dashboard: Digital with rear-view camera
• Front Lighting: LED
• Turn Signals: Rotating LED
• Construction: Modular large sub-assemblies
• Components: Best-in-class supplier parts throughout
• On View: TheArtpark, Miami

Discover the full Custom Motorcycles Collection at TheArsenale.