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Horex: New Bike From a Revived German Brand

From 1923 to 1956, Horex Automotive AG, based in Bad Homburg, Germany, created high-performance motorcycles, including the spectacular Regina and Imperator. Now, the celebrated German brand is back on the scene with the launch of a bike powered by a unique, supercharged VR6 engine.

The engine technology was developed by Clemens Neese, CEO of the newly formed Horex GmbH, based in Garching, near Munich. An engineer with 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, Neese has been considering a VR engine for a motorcycle for a very long time. Finally, having developed the concept, in April 2007 he received a patent for a ‘VR engine in a powered two wheeler’.

“Does the world need another motorcycle brand? Probably not,” says Neese with a smile. “But riding a bike is more than a form of mobility on two wheels. It’s raw emotion combined with a passion for technology and everything that’s new and exciting.”

Horex: New Bike From a Revived German Brand Horex: New Bike From a Revived German Brand

The VR six-cylinder at the heart of the new Horex is ‘as narrow and compact as many four-cylinder engines’, with a width of just 429mm at the cylinderhead cover. By adopting this engine, with its direct drive radial supercharger, the motorcycle’s creators aim to give an exceptionally wide torque range, allowing the power to unfold smoothly and evenly at low engine speeds. Other innovations include the first belt-drive in this performance class, an advanced cooling system and an ergonomically contoured bridge frame with pressurised gas channel.

Styling-wise, the new German bike is ‘based on classic motorcycle icons… interpreted in a modern design language with clean lines, premium quality materials, and close attention to brand-specific details’.

Horex: New Bike From a Revived German Brand Horex: New Bike From a Revived German Brand

The ‘new Horex’ project is supported by a core team within Horex GmbH, under the leadership of Clemens Neese. The bike will be built in Germany from late 2011 and initially marketed in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, before sales spread to the rest of Europe, the USA and Japan.

For more details, see www.horex.com.

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Fotos: Horex


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