Flying £380,000 motorbike that turns from street racer to hover-cycle shows off its paces in amazing video
- The LMV 496 from Lazareth is powered on the road by an electric motor capable of a 60-mile range
- In the air, the bike is powered by four jet turbine engines and carries enough kerosene for a 10-minute flight
- Only five of the futuristic bikes are being built, although only four of these are being sold to the public
- The bodywork is made from a Kevlar carbon composite to reduce weight and allowing the machine to fly
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This is the amazing flying motorbike which has been developed by a French automotive company renowned for producing highly customised vehicles.
The LMV496 from Lazareth is powered on the road by an electric motor capable of a range of 60 miles.
However, the real trick of the LM496 is the four jet engines which provide a flight time of ten minutes.
The Lazareth LMV496 flying bike, pictured, costs an estimated £380,000 for one of the four available machines which are going on public sale
On the road, the bike is powered by an electric motor. In the air, four jet turbines rotate horizontal to provide 1,300 horsepower of thrust
The bike has an internal fuel tank containing kerosene allowing a 10-minute flight time from its four jet engines
The motorbike transfers from road to air mode at the flick of a switch
According to the manufacturers, the motorbike can transition from road mode to flying mode with a simple flick of a switch.
The jet engines are powered by kerosene and the on-board tank provides up to ten minutes of flight time.
The company are initially building five prototypes, four of which will be available to buy by members of the public at a cost of about £380,000.
According to the firm: ‘The driving position and light steering of the LMV496 provide immediate handling. Braking and undercarriage technology is directly inspired by Lazareth vehicles. The suspensions have been entrusted to our partner TFX Suspension Technology.’
The jet turbines produce around 1,300 horsepower of thrust, with flight information sent directly to the dashboard showing altitude, speed, position and the fuel level.
The designers have made the machine using an incredibly lightweight but strong Kevlar carbon composite.
In flight mode, the bike is powered by four jet turbines – one in each corner delivering 1,300 horsepower of thrust meaning the bike is capable of flying for 10 minutes
Only four of the highly unusual machines are going to be sold to members of the public, although they would require at least £380,000 to fund the purchase
On electric power, the LMV496 is capable of travelling around 60 miles until it requires a recharge
The motorbike transitions between flight and riding mode at the flick of a switch on the vehicle’s dashboard, pictured
Two of the motorbike’s jet turbines can be seen at the centre of the vehicle’s wheels. Unlike a traditional bike, the LMV 496 has two tyres on the front and rear