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The Akira Motorcycle: Is It Real?

We've been hearing a lot about the Akira Motorcycle concept. In case you're not familiar with the bike, it's an iconic bike that is featured in the Japanese anime film "Akira," that has garnered a cult following. Kaneda's motorcycle influenced many young people who grew up watching the movie and wanting a bike just like Kaneda's. The larger question in the minds of those who would love to get a chance at ownership, or just going for a spin on the Akria remains. Is it a real motorcycle?

Whetting the appetite

Asphalt and Rubber posted several sketches of Jame Qui's concept for the Akira Motorcycle. Qui is a Chinese designer who offered the use of an internal combustion engine to send power to the rear with a front-wheel powered by two clean operating electric motors. The bike is designed with dual-pipe side-mounted Termignoni exhausts, along with an aesthetic that is straight out of the Ducati engineer's lounge when they designed with XDiavel. This doesn't answer the question though. Is the Akira Motorcycle real or is it just a concept bike that has been created by a fantasy-inspired genius designer?

The official replica of the Akira motorcycle

To answer the question about the reality of the Akira motorcycle in real life, yes, it has been created. Rather, a replica of the iconic bike has been brought to life. According to Geekologie, The bike that Shotaro Kaneda rode was built by Masashi Teshima. The work commenced under the total blessing of the creator of the "Akira" movie Katsuhiro Otomo. The reported budget for the design and production of the replica Akira motorcycle was a little more than $120,000.

Where is the Akira motorcycle today?

The iconic bike was being used to do humanitarian work throughout Japan in 2012. Teshima rode the motorcycle across Japan to help raise funds to support various causes. The bike was being ridden from one locale to another to help fund research and help for children's autism. Akira's motorcycle was booked up as far into the future to continue to raise money to help those in need. It was also scheduled to be placed at an exhibit that celebrated and honored the creator of "Akira." where it was used to raise funds for victims of the earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated many low-lying parts of Japan a few years ago.

A Closer look at Akira's motorcycle replica

The iteration of Akira's motorcycle in replica form looks a little different than the concept pictures that were created by James Qui. The fully functional bike features a futuristic aesthetic with a large dressing that gives it an orblike quality at the rear tire and a large protective shell with a rounded front. It looks more like a series of big red bubbles. The designer skillfully uses sharp angular lines and round curves to create one of the most unique-looking motorcycles in the world today.

Gaining worldwide attention

Collider reported on the Akira motorcycle in April of 2012. Yes, the Akira motorcycle has been around for nearly a decade. The live-action version o Shotaro Kaneda's bike took approximately seven years to complete. Its builder was a hardy fan of Akira. This bike was the rage in 2012, and it's still popular today. According to HitC, it's available in Cyberpunk 2077 for PS4 and Xbox as an element o the game. It's the fastest bike in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. Akira's bike is officially titled the Yaiba Kuanagi CT-3x, which is the fastest bike in the game. It can be purchased from Wakaka Okada in a version that weighs 820 pounds and cranks 183 horsepower and is useful for completing side jobs as well as the main story.

What is Akira's motorcycle in the real-life version?

Akira's motorcycle is a real replica of the bike from the anime movie. According to Jalopnik, versions of the iconic motorcycle were produced and made available for sale in 2014 as 2015 model year. The motorcycle is a 2015 Honda NM4. It was first offered for sale to the public in August of 2014. Journalists and others were allowed to take the bike on a test ride to understand the thrill of riding the legendary bike. Although the body is completely encased in the round cherry red bodywork that obscured the fact that it's really a two-wheel motorcycle, that is precisely what it is under all o the dressing. The seat is a recliner style that gives it a different feeling. The configuration puts the bars a lot closer to your body. The bike is built on the NM4 main frame of the NC700 adventure bike along with the CTX700 cruiser which is respectively, an adventure bike and cruiser, sharing the same 670cc parallel-twin engine with a bespoke rear subframe and an altered suspension geometry.

Final thoughts

Akira's motorcycle is a fantasy bike that was made famous in the anime film and also in the Cyberpunk 2077 gaming universe. It's a motorcycle that does exist in the fantasy world, but it was also built as a concept bike in real life. The original iteration of the motorcycle was used to tour throughout Japan by its creator to raise funds to help kids with autism and to bring relief for victims of the previous earthquake and tsunami catastrophe. The bike was offered in a replica version for sale in the United States in August of 2014. Those with the ability to write about it were privileged to take a ride and give their opinions. Yes, we have confirmation that Akira's motorcycle is very real. It's a fantasy that has been brought to life.

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Benjamin Smith

Written by Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith is one of the managing editors of Moneyinc. Ben's been focusing on the auto and motorcycle sector since 2005. He's written over 1000 articles in the space and continues to learn about it each day. His favorite car is "any Bugatti" and he's a die hard Harley Davidson fan.

Read more posts by Benjamin Smith

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