Veloce Aperion, 1000cc Eight-Cylinder Two-Stroke Motorcycle Claimed to Deliver 280 bhp

Veloce Aperion, a 1,000 cc eight-cylinder 2-stroke concept bike that is claimed to produce up to 280 bhp, is exhibited at the Bike Shed Moto Show in London. (Photo: MCN)

JAKARTA - New 2-stroke motorcycles are now rarely seen. However, Veloce Motorcycles from Oxfordshire, England, actually showed off the Aperion, a 1000cc eight-cylinder 2-stroke naked motorcycle that is claimed to have 280 bhp.

Bhp is a unit of engine power. The bigger the number, the bigger the power that the engine can produce.

MotorCycleNews (MCN) quoted Friday, June 26, reported that Aperion was exhibited at the Bike Shed Moto Show in London last month. This motorcycle uses an eight-cylinder Rotax/Aprilia RS125 with forged pistons, which is arranged in two separate V4 crankcases around the central transmission housing.

Each cylinder block is made from a billet and contains two crankshaft shafts. Power is routed to the jackshaft, a connecting shaft that passes engine rotation to a clutch and a dedicated transmission.

The fuel system uses four pairs of Dellorto 24 mm carburetors. The throttle is made with an eight-wire spiral design. This motor uses a mixture of gasoline and two-stroke oil.

Veloce claims the Aperion engine produces 280 bhp. The figure comes from an estimated 35 bhp for each of the eight 125cc cylinders, with performance components from Mitaka.

The most striking part is the exhaust. The 2-stroke engine is very dependent on the exhaust expansion chamber. Its shape, volume, and length must be precise so that the power comes out optimally.

For eight cylinders, this is no small matter. Veloce uses 3D printing technology to make exhaust pipes from metal powder through the laser sintering process, which is a technique for compacting metal powder using a laser beam based on a computer design. This way, the expansion chamber can be installed more neatly around the engine and frame.

The Aperion engine also serves as the main frame. The front and rear subframes use trellis-style welded steel pipes. A single swingarm from aluminum is mounted on the crankcase. The rear suspension uses a single shock absorber placed under the front of the engine.

To MCN, Jack Levy from Veloce said the balance was the main reason for the design of the engine.

"The pistons are diagonally opposite and light up at the same time, so everything is really balanced," said Levy. "The X formation also makes the bike very slim."

The Aperion on display at the Bike Shed is not yet operational. However, Levy said Veloce already has a test bike operating at its research and development center in Carmarthenshire.

Veloce said Aperion would be limited to 24 units starting in 2027. It costs £78,000 and is sold under the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval or MSVA scheme, which is approval of vehicles per unit in the UK before being used on the highway.

Veloce also prepared a second model called Ethereal. This motorcycle uses a 500cc 2-stroke V4 engine with 145 bhp power.

Ethereal has a "reversed" gearbox, with the input shaft behind the output shaft. The arrangement is said to help optimize the swing arm geometry and the drive system.

The model also uses a radiator under the Benelli Tornado-style seat, with an air duct that flows air through the radiator and out of the stern.

"The focus is more on light weight and handling," Levy told MCN. "The price will be a little lower, more affordable for more people, and we will try to make more of it."