Lazareth ‘flying motorcycle’ finally hovers

A four-wheeled leaning electric motorcycle has finally shown it can get off the ground with a video showing it at least hovers.

French motorcycle designer Ludovic Lazareth has converted his previous Maserati V8-powered four-wheel leaning motorcycle into an electric version with jet turbines in the wheels.

In December, Lazareth posted a teaser video promising the LM496 or “La Moto Volante” (the Flying Motorcycle) would be unveiled in January 2019.

However, their jet-powered motorcycle failed to take off at the launch party.

Now, the company has released a new video in which the LM496 hovers about a metre above a platform.

It’s not really flying and the bike is tethered on each corner to prevent an accident.

Then German Jetcat turbines in each wheel fire directly downward to elevate the bike, like a Harrier Jump Jet or a manned drone.

While the short hover may not be much, it’s a start.

And it is not that this will be the first flying motorcycle nor the first commercially available.

‘Pigs’ might fly

In fact, Dubai police will soon be using drone motorcycles to patrol city streets.

Rather than flying like a plane, the $US150,000 (about $A212,500) Russian Hoversurf Scorpion also hovers.

Earlier this month, Jetpack Aviation also announced plans for flying motorcycles.

However, so far they have only provided artwork and this animated video.

Despite the absence of a working prototype, they are taking pre-orders of US$10,000 (about $A14,000).

It’s called the Speeder and they claim the 240km/h, 105kg, self-stabilising, jet turbine-powered flying motorcycle will climb to 15,000 feet.

However, it will only stay aloft for 20 minutes.

So once again, it may be something only for emergency forces, police and security use.

But the flying motorcycle trend seems to be “taking off”.

How long before we’re all literally flying on our motorcycles?