Back in late 2020, we featured a conceptual AWD moon bike concept from Russian designer Andrew Fabishevskiy. And it appears we weren’t alone in our admiration for the two-wheeled NASA rover as the concept also caught the eye of world-renowned custom moto outfit, Hookie Co, who has since gone on to develop the project and bring it to fruition in real life, giving way to the “Tardigrade.”
Named after the nearly invincible micro metazoans, the Tardigrade is constructed around a bespoke chassis and swing-arm that’s comprised of a 10mm laser-cut aluminum structure fortified beneath a tubular stainless steel exoskeleton. Requiring nearly six months just to digitally prototype the machine, the NASA concept bike also features a set of custom 12-piece Kevlar 3D wheels — made using additive manufacturing – with CNC-machined CAKE hubs and stainless steel SKF cartridge bearings. At the heart of the moto rover is the drivetrain, wiring harness, and battery pack also plucked from a CAKE bike before being enshrouded in a one-off Kevlar fishbone aluminized fabric cover that’s highly resistant to heat, flames, and UV radiation. The build’s digital display also looks to have been borrowed from a CAKE model, as well. 3D printing was also used to create a slew of smaller components on the Tardigrade such as its wheel caps and handlebar mount. The Hookie crew has also laced up the build with a custom electronic steering system utilizing a potentiometer and servo motor. Tipping the scales at under 300lbs, Hookie’s moon bike affords a top speed of 9mph and a nearly 70-mile range on a single charge.
Since its completion, Andrew Fabishevskiy and Hookie Co’s Tardigrade Moon Concept Motorcycle has been shipped from Dresden to Los Angeles, California, where it is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum as part of the Paul d’Orléans-curated ADV:Overland exhibit from now until March 27, 2022. To see additional images of the project or for further details, you can check out the build’s website linked below.
