VIBA Jane: The 3D Printed Honda Monkey 125 That Costs 30,000 USD!
Built by French bespoke motorbike manufacturer, VIBA Jane is a redesigned Honda Monkey 125. It is the most expensive Honda Monkey 125 with a price tag of 30,000USD/ MYR 130,000!
VIBA is a French motorcycle manufacturer who manufactures limited-edition bespoke motorcycles. They unveiled their take on Honda’s iconic Monkey back in 2019 with the “VIBA Jane”. For this project, VIBA worked in collaboration with metal 3D printing specialists SLM solutions and Rolf Lenk from Germany.
The VIBA Jane is actually based on the new Honda Monkey 125. When asked why VIBA chose the Monkey, Yann Bakonyi, the founder of VIBA said: “Everybody knows the Monkey […] We decided to reinvent the Honda Monkey because, every time we are building a project at VIBA, we care about telling a story […] We wanted to revive childhood memories of riders.”
VIBA makes only 23 units of this limited edition bike and it costs 30,000 USD! Well, you could probably get a sports bike with that money, but if you are a Monkey fan or you love unique things then, Jane might be something for you!
According to sources, VIBA went with the name “Jane” for their bike after Jane Fonda and Jane Birkin because they were the cultural icons at the time when Honda Monkey bikes gained popularity.
The tiny VIBA Jane is one of the most innovative bikes which pushes the boundaries of motorcycle design and development. Did you know, the VIBA Jane is the first-ever bike to feature fully 3D printed fuel tank in a motorcycle?
The 3D Printing Technology
VIBA JANE features several 3D printed parts made using AlSi10Mg. AlSi10Mg is an aluminium material used for 3D printing which is light and has good thermal properties. The 3D printed parts in the bike include; the gauge bracket, hollow levers to carry wiring, front luggage rack, mudguard and headlight support, and the fuel tank.
Let’s look at the world’s first 3D printed fuel tank; the one-piece fuel tank is something unique because unlike traditional fuel tanks, it has no weldings.
According to Bakoyi, the 1 mm thick fuel tank is “the most innovative part because it’s the display of 3D printing added value […] You’ll find that almost everything possible has to do with this technology.”
“At tradeshows, we see a lot of [3D printed] parts, but they are usually just for showcase and are not functional […] So, this project was to show that 3D printing can be integrated in an industrial process to work perfectly.”
The Design
It’s not just the innovative manufacturing technology that’s outstanding; thanks to the designers, Jane still echos the iconic retro look while being technical, practical and fun!
Commenting on the technology, design and functionality, Ralf Frohwerk, SLM Solutions’ Head of Business Development, said, “It really shows what’s capable with this technology […] Designers can integrate functional features while creating new, custom designs.”
The bike’s front rack with the headlamp and mudguard forms a single unit which merges practicality and aesthetics. Looking closely, the turn signals incorporated in the brake and clutch levers show excellent attention to detail. Moving on, the grey linen seat with the orange strap goes hand in hand with the whole paint scheme and design- this just spices up the mix!