a year of social-distancing didn’t stop collaborations, customizes and concepts when it came to motorcycle and scooter designs. following the trend of highly sculptural shapes in 2019, our TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020 were ever more dramatic in form, although perhaps a bit more uni-bodied. these ranged from an intricate art deco-covered bike, monoliths with two wheels, and even one that inflates from a backpack. brand new launches – as seen from the likes of BMW – debuted electric mobility innovations whereas makers retuned past classics and their gas-guzzling engines for the modern road.

continuing our TOP 10 round-ups of 2020, we look back at 10 motorcycle and scooter designs that attracted our and, most importantly, designboom readers’ attention over the past 12 months.

1 – kingston custom fashions an art deco, museum-worthy motorcycle

image courtesy of kingston custom, by ben ott

our TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020 start with one that looks so good it belongs in a museum. the kingston custom good ghost was at first a request and now an item in the hass moto museum and sculpture gallery in dallas, texas. it fits the exhibition perfectly: its handcrafted form is shaped in an exquisite art deco style, and completes a trilogy of ‘phantom’ bikes by the german creator.

2 – this is BMW’s scooter of the future, the motorrad definition CE 04

image courtesy of the BMW Group

back in 2017, BMW debuted a zero-emission mobility concept called concept link. three years later, the german automotive giant presents the evolution of this concept titled the BMW motorrad definition CE 04, which will go into production from the last quarter of 2020. aiming to create a link between the analog and digital worlds we now inhabit, this electric scooter is not only a means of transport but also a means of communication for the urban commuter.

3 – new electric vespa 98 scooter reinterpreted as a modern incarnation of the iconic vehicle

image courtesy of mightyseed

mightyseed designs has introduced the ‘vespa 98 electric‘, a bold reinterpretation of the original vespa, produced by enrico piaggio. the concept is much more like a modern incarnation of the iconic vehicle, which now showcases sleek styling cues with streamlining features, but still has a retro feel. although with a wider front, the front mudguard houses the LED headlight like the original.

4 – katalis debuts EV.1000 the arsenale special edition electric motorcycle

image courtesy of katalis

with an intriguing darken and geometric form, the katalis EV.1000 the arsenale special edition is exactly that – special. the electric motorcycle was designed and produced by young designers based in jakarta, indonesia in collaboration with the french automotive gallery the arsenale. it follows the success of its WWII fighter aircraft-inspired predecessor, the katalis EV.500.

5 – fuller moto builds futuristic 2029 electric motorcycle with 3D-printed titanium parts

image courtesy of fuller moto

fuller moto has built the 2029, a futuristic electric motorcycle with a fully enclosed sculptured aluminum body, hub-centric steering, clear polycarbonate wheels and 3D-printed titanium parts. commissioned by the haas moto museum and sculpture gallery, whose expansive collection includes over 190 unique and one-of-a-kind motorcycles from 1901 to present day, the bike is designed in the style of the french 1929 majestic. in keeping with the aesthetic and character of the original majestic design, the fuller moto team set out 100 years later to create another revolutionary kind of motorcycle with their 2029.

6 – poimo, an inflatable electric scooter that fits inside your backpack

image courtesy of poimo

as our list of TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020 blows up, take a look at the poimo — portable and inflatable mobility — which is a soft and transportable personal electric scooter that can be inflated with air. created in collaboration by kawahara lab / niiyama lab of the university of tokyo and mercari R4D of mercari, inc, poimo aims to redefine electric personal mobility by combining it with soft robotics. with a total weight of 5.5kg, it is so compact that it can be folded into an average-sized backpack.

7 – italjet dragster scooter returns with limited edition black and gold

image courtesy of italjet

first conceptualized at EICMA in milan in november 2019, it marked the return of the iconic italjet dragster scooter. the much loved two-wheeler from the late 1990s was given a new re-design that continued its quirky yet performance-driven styling. launched in september 2020, the dragster is available in three bold colorways: anthracite, red and white; anthracite and yellow; and black and gray. the first 499 customers were offered a special black and gold livery to coincide with the return.

8 – eastern spirit garage customs yamaha XS650 into black and gold bobber

image courtesy of eastern spirit garage, by mateusz stankiewicz

polish custom shop eastern spirit garage has transformed a 1980s yamaha XS650 motorcycle into an openwork bobber. the original was a special edition bike which appeared more like a chopper than the workshop’s traditional base models – café racers. the longer wheel base provided a new challenge, with the result unifying an impression of elegance to its inherent muscularity. it was then finished in a black base coating complemented by a double gold pin stripe.

9 – monolithic urbet ego electric moped is designed for urban mobility

image courtesy of urbet

bridged between two distinct wheels, the urbet ego is an electric moped with a unique monolithic design only akin to a bicycle. the spanish brand, first founded in 2016, already has a name for doing things differently. their electric model continues this trend, complimenting its special shape with handling and efficiency performance that is ideal for city life. a 3000 W motor powers it to a top speed of 56 mph and – together with a 72 V lithium battery – for a range of up to 75 miles per charge.

10 – this custom-made BMW R9T by zillers garage is a mad max dream

image courtesy of zillers garage

to close our TOP 10 motorcycle and scooter designs of 2020, moscow-based zillers garage unveiled a steampunk, mad max-like custom-made BMW R9T motorrad. the one-off motorcycle takes BMW’s new R18 cruiser and redesigns the outer body without touching the internal build. this redesign features a shell made entirely from fabricated aluminum parts. from the headlight to the tail-light, everything flows through the metal-finished mass that results in a somewhat post-apocalyptic aesthetic.

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