BENGALURU: With the flexibility of a skateboard and the speed of a motorcycle, this skatebike is a dream come true for motorsports enthusiasts India’s first motorised skatebike, Skatocross, has been developed by a Mysurean named, MY Ratheesh. An automobile enthusiast and an avid rider, he owns a start up called Vivrt Motors Private Limited. The Skatocross will be introduced in the market by August and it costs about Rs1.3 lakhs.
This vehicle has the flexibility of a skateboard and the speed of a motorcycle. Weighing around 32 kgs, the skatocross is capable of reaching up to 60 km per hour. Its hydraulic braking-system and throttling are controlled wirelessly.
Twenty-six-year-old Ratheesh says, “My passion for modifying and improving vehicles and my desire to build something outstanding, made me start Vivrt, which also means, discovery. This is a brand new product with a patented technology.”
What started as a simple idea during college days led to the start of the company in June 23, 2016. He was interested in mechanics and vehicle dynamics since an early age. His team members are jointly working towards developing innovative and novel automotive solutions to fuel customers need for speed and thrill safely.
In order to proceed with their vision, they are looking for international partnerships and funds. A new revised design under the development has a regenerative braking system, which is capable of increasing the range of the vehicle by inducing electric power back into the batteries while braking.
The project ‘Skatocros’ has been approved by MSME CoE IISC, Bangalore and they are research funding for this start up. “Ideating the concept from the ground up was always challenging and exciting. Sourcing components from outside market was a big learning area for us as beginners. Getting components fabricated with very less money, encouraged us to acquire negotiation skills and helped us to make friends with fabricators around the city,” says Ratheesh.
“The idea is to start a new kind of sport as well as recreation. Our ideal customers are the ones who seek recreation, motorsports enthusiasts and thrill seekers. We will be organising events like racing and motorsports recreation to attract and acquire our first potential customers. We are also working on using Electric Longboard and Electric scrambler bikes,” adds Ratheesh.
“India is making very little progress in the field of motorsports and recreation. Nearly 20 per cent of Indian population is highly passionate about motorsports. That is exactly why we want to put India on the world map in the field of Motorsports and Recreation,” he adds.
Their achievements are: Finalists at PACE CIC 2014 Annual Global Forum, Politecnico di Torino, Turin Italy; Incubation from CIBA government of Goa; Design Patented; Company Current valuation 5 crores since inception; First place in Science and technology - Campus Diaries, and so on.
For details visit website: www.vivrtmotors.com