Vyrus “Moto2” in road-going spec

TINY Italian maker of convention-busting exotica, Vyrus, has revealed pictures of what appears to be a road-going version of its 986 M2 racer.

The CBR600RR-powered 986 M2 was intended to be a Moto2 competitor, but has so far failed to attract any teams at world-championship level to try its hub-centre-steered concept. Too many memories of Elf's decade-long struggle to make the idea work linger on in the MotoGP paddock for any team to gamble its cash on trying to revive the technology. However, Vyrus does sell minuscule numbers of uber-expensive road bikes, and so it's converted the 986 M2 into another of them.

In the transformation to road bike, the Vyrus has lost the hydraulic steering system that was shown on the first prototype. In fact dropped while the M2 was still intended as a racer – MotoGP rules specifically ban hydraulics for anything other than brake systems – the result is an additional vertical suspension member connecting bars to wheel. The red links running parallel to the front swingarm are nothing to do with steering, just torque reaction rods for the front brakes. The complex, rocker-operated transverse rear shock is still on the bike, though.

We're not convinced by the lashed-up road-going kit, though, which almost gives the bike a 'late April fool' feeling. The round head and tail lights both stick out like carbuncles on the otherwise-neat bodywork. The tank shape is also a bit concerning; that bulbous projection on the back looks like could save vasectomy clinics a fair bit of work.