Italian boutique motorcycle maker Vyrus is not unknown to bike fans and its latest dream machine, the Vyrus Alyen 988, showcases the latest fever dream from the Coriano, Italy, based firm. After the interest generated by the Vyrus 986 M2 which was originally intended to be a Moto 2 racer but found more success in Spanish circuit racing, the Alyen 988 brings together exotic engineering materials into an even more exotic package.
As an offshoot of the legendary motorcycle design house Bimota – now in a collaboration with Kawasaki – the Vyrus 988 features hub-centre steering, a signature design of the Rimini bike builder. In the Alyen 988, the bike’s design came from sketches by MV Agusta’s Adrian Morton and went through 57 different versions over nine years, with no clay models produced in the traditional manner before the design was finalised, says The Robb Report.
With a Ducati Superquadro 1299 V-twin displacing 1,285 cc as its base, Vyrus claims the Alyn 988 produces over 200 hp and we see no reason to doubt this as Ducati claims the stock 1299 Panigale Superleggera using the same engine is rated at over 215 hp. What is noteworthy is the frame used to cradle the engine makes the power unit look positively mundane.
The Alyen 988 uses Vyrus’ Omega chassis, a massive and beautiful magnesium casting that provides the mounting points for the engine and both front and rear swingarms. The swingarms are also made from the same material and Vyrus claims the whole package weighs 165 kg, which makes it some 5 kg heavier than a MotoGP race motorcycle, the extra weight due to road-going necessities like lights and stuff.
As befits a boutique bike of this calibre, the Alyen 988 uses an Ohlins TTX40 monoshock at the back, connected to the swingarm by a multi-link suspension setup that places the shock horizontally. Braking is done by Brembo, with either 320 mm carbon-ceramic discs and four-piston calipers or racing spec 320 mm diameter T-drive discs.
Unique to the Alyen 988 are the uni-directional carbon-fibre wheels made by Rotobox of Slovenia. Along with the five-spoke wheels, the Alyen 988 also uses carbon-fibre in the self-supporting bodywork.
Steering is by Hydraulic Wired Steering System (HWSS) which uses cables linked to the steering rods by hydraulics. No word on pricing from Vyrus on the Alyen 988, but based on previous models, expect it to cost something not far short of 100,000 USD (RM434,000).