An Italian company plans to build a motorcycle with a howling, 150kW, upside-down, two-litre, triple engine and is seeking crowd-funding for the wacky idea.

While many motorcycle manufacturers are trying to build bikes with a lower centre of gravity for more stability, Nembo Motociclette says mass centralisation as featured in MotoGP bikes is more important.

With a rider on top of the bike, an upside-down engine with the heavy crank at the top would centralise mass.

Nembo say the bike will have 150kW of power, 210Nm of torque and weigh just 160kg.

They say it would be great for racing, but the video doesn’t seem to prove its speed or handling prowess. However, it does sound fantastic!

Upside-down history

The upside-down Nembo has been around for a while and was first publicly featured at the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este” at Lake Como, Italy.

Almost seven years later, Nembo Motociclette are pleading through crowd-funding site Indiegogo for €3.2m to go into production. That’s $A5.1m or $US3.7m or £2.8m.

So far, they have raised a big fat zero with 50-odd days to go in their all-or-nothing fundraising bid.

The lack of support is understandable. An upside-upside-down engine? You’ve got to be kidding!

If you’ve got a lazy five-mill sitting around and want to invest you may like to know the bike can be reserved for €5000 ($A8000 or $US5700 or £4370).

Final price has not yet been announced, but is expected to be about €59,000 ($A94,000, $US68,000, £51,500).

They say the more funding pledges they get, the lower the price with deliveries expected in December 2020.

Nembo 32

Nembo 32 not only has an upside-down engine, but a tank and fairing that tilt back to reveal the tank, airbox and the “bottom” of the engine.

Other features are Bellapadrona fully adjustable air shock, 50mm Marzocchi forks, Brembo brakes, carbonfibre swingarm and 200mm rear tyre.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com