This Wild Electric Cafe Racer Revives an 1899 Skoda Motorcycle | Carscoops

      The Czech brand's iconic race-winning Slavia B bicycle has been transformed into a contemporary electric cafe racer.

      Skoda designer Romain Bucaille has developed a motorcycle concept for the brand.

      This electric cafe racer draws inspiration from the 1899 Laurin & Klement Slavia B.

      The frame features the brand's V motif, and there is a classic leather tool bag included.

      Over the past five years, Skoda’s “Icons Get A Makeover” series has provided a platform for the brand’s designers to unleash their creativity, and this latest two-wheeled concept is a significant departure from a practical family SUV.

      Skoda's automotive history dates back to the 1920s, but its origins reach even further to the late 19th century, when Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement began manufacturing bicycles and motorcycles, starting with the 1899 Slavia B.

      This month’s focus is on the Slavia B, which is set for a design overhaul. Although Skoda has not produced a motorcycle in over a century, their French designer Romain Bucaille has envisioned what a contemporary bike could look like under Skoda’s latest Modern Solid design principles.

      “I wanted to create something distinctive and revisit the brand’s heritage," Bucaille shared, noting his background in mechanical engineering before transitioning to design. “My daily work involves cars, and as a motorcycle enthusiast, designing one was a truly refreshing experience.”

      At first glance, there seems to be little resemblance between the old and new iterations. Bucaille chose a sporty cafe racer style for his design, featuring low handlebars and a seat that appears to hover above the rear wheel. Unlike the original Slavia B, equipped with a 240 cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine producing just 1.7 hp (1.75 PS) with a maximum speed of 25 mph (40 km/h), this modern version would be electric and certainly faster.

      Bucaille maintained the split-frame design, with a front section that is V-shaped, evoking the háček, a diacritical mark seen in the Czech letter Š, which is part of Skoda’s official name. The design also incorporates a wave pattern that has become a grille motif and the letter v before RS in its performance range. Additionally, he included a tool bag within the frame, a nod to the early days of motorcycles when on-the-road maintenance was necessary, finished in the same leather as the seat.

      We admire the retro-futuristic aesthetic of this Slavia B; however, similar to other iconic models reinterpreted by Skoda’s designers in this series, this concept will remain just that—a concept.