Ichiban Retro Electric Motorcycle Is the Future We Need
Image Credit: Ichiban Motorcycle Design.
Well, knock me over with a feather! Just when I was hoping for a quiet start this week, along comes this… thing. It's called the Ichiban, and it's an electric motorcycle. Or at least, it's supposed to be. Right now, it exists only in the digital realm, a figment of a designer's imagination. But what an imagination it is!
This machine, dreamt up by a chap in Kyiv, Ukraine, is a real head-scratcher. It's a 1970s fever dream, all sharp angles, and brutalist styling, and yet somehow… electric. It's got this retro vibe going on, a dystopian sci-fi flick look. It's a motorcycle designed by someone who watched Mad Max one too many times while listening to Kraftwerk.
The name "Ichiban" means "first" or "best" in Japanese. I've seen a few electric motorcycles in my time, and some of them have been pretty darn good - especially the Spanish reincarnation of the iconic Akira. Whether this digital creation deserves such a lofty moniker is debatable, especially since it's not even real. It's more of a thought experiment, a digital doodle brought to life. And the more I look at it, the more I like it.
Image Credit: Ichiban Motorcycle Design.
The designer, Ivan Zhurba, envisions the Ichiban as more than just a way to get from A to B. For him it is an escape, a symbol of freedom in our increasingly interconnected world. Which is ironic, considering the bike itself is a product of that very interconnected world. It's a paradox on two wheels, a blend of past and future, minimalist yet somehow overwhelming.
According to the official Ichiban website (yes, it has a website!), this phantom motorcycle boasts a 45-kilowatt electric motor. That's roughly 60 horsepower in good old American terms. Not bad, not bad at all. They also claim a range of 155 miles on a single charge. Impressive… But remember, this is all hypothetical. For now.
And then there's the "Godzilla Mode." Oh yes. Godzilla Mode. Apparently, this gives the rider a ten-second burst of extra power. A nitro boost of sorts for the electric age. We've seen similar features on other electric bikes, so the technology exists. But on the Ichiban, it just adds to the overall sense of… well, what's the word? Ludicrousness?
Image Credit: Ichiban Motorcycle Design.
The whole thing is a fascinating exercise in design and imagination. Will the Ichiban ever become a reality? Probably not in the form we see it now. But it doesn't really matter. Its purpose is to make us think, to make us question what the future of motorcycling might look like.
And that's the real beauty of it. In a world where freedom seems to be slipping away, we dream of machines that propel us forward, even as we're consumed by nostalgia for the past. We want the latest tech, but we also want that classic feel. The Ichiban embodies this contradiction perfectly.
Image Credit: Ichiban Motorcycle Design.
The thing about the future is that it isn't just about what's coming next. It's also about how we interpret the past. It's about taking the best of what we've learned and using it to create something new, something exciting, something… electric. And maybe, just maybe, something a little bit bonkers. And let me tell you this - a world without a little bit of bonkers is a world not worth living in.
Will I be putting down a deposit on the Ichiban anytime soon? Probably not. But I'll certainly be keeping an eye on its creator. Because if he can dream up something this intriguing, I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
