Yamaha XT 500 H2O Concept Motorcycle Revealed: Powered By Water!

There is a good reason for the five-year-long launch period. It is because of the motorcycle's unique powertrain system. The Yamaha XT 500 H2O features a water-powered engine, mic drop!

That's right the motorcycle's engine is powered by water and is in line with the bike's Inexhaustible theme. The workings of the water-powered engine are yet to be revealed by the company.

Before we dig deeper into the concept motorcycle, a little piece of history. Yamaha XT500 is an iconic motorcycle for the brand. It was manufactured between 1976-1989 with a four-stroke single-cylinder engine. The motorcycle was also used to compete in the legendary Dakar Rally as well.

The 499cc unit produced 31bhp and a peak torque of 38Nm. The original motorcycle was an enduro bike that featured knobby tyres with 21-inch and 18-inch rims at the front and back, respectively. The motorcycle's top-speed was rated at 160kph, at a time when people searched for post boxes to communicate.

Coming back to the modern-day interpretation of the motorcycle, the initial design of the motorcycle started with an aim to create a retro body style product. After which, the design was taken and modified for specific purposes.

The approach resulted in developing three different models. The first concept was a smart bike, the second concept a lightweight version of the older motorcycle, and a third was dubbed the "Inexhaustible."

The team behind the motorcycle then picked the third concept and made came up with the XT 500 H2O. Speaking about its design, the motorcycle does not feature any of the conventional mechanism, apart from the braking hardware.

The steering and the front suspension are not connected. It could use the motor to create a steering geometry placed under the seat. Also, the rear of the motorcycle is suspended using a solid mono-shock unit without a coil-over spring.

The Yamaha XT 500 H2O features a small windscreen and an LED light up-front and an LED taillamps along with a radical-looking tail section. The blue wheels and white tyres will only add to the aesthetic value of the motorcycle.

Here is our speculation about workings of the water engine. Initially, the motorcycle uses water stored in the tank placed below the seat. It will be sent to the secondary pressurised tank placed below. The water will then flow from the pressurised tank to the pump placed in the middle.

The power cycle will be created when the pressurised water gets pumped into the turbine (Water engine) moving the impellers. The water engine is directly mounted onto the rear wheel. After the impellers start to move inside the engine, the rear wheels connecting the engine also would starts to move.

However, to create the above power cycle, the pressurised tank needs a power source to compress the water. This is where the mystery lies in Yamaha's design, which will be revealed sometime in future.

Thoughts About The Yamaha XT 500 H2O Concept Motorcycle Revealed

As fossil fuels are getting scares, automotive manufacturers are looking for a different source to power their vehicles. Electric city and fuel-cell are among the popular choice to replace gasoline engines.

However, an engine that could run on water, will be a huge breakthrough for the automotive world. Hyde from That 70's Show was slightly wrong. He should have said bike instead of a car.