Midual Type 1 in the driving report

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Midual Type 1 in the driving report

A work of art that works

The Midual Type 1 is a work of art that also works. And the first mobile prototype from the French manufacturer. In 2016, 35 machines should be available in Europe. Cost: from 140,000 euros

When Olivier Midy, French engineer and owner of a supplier company for the automotive industry, recently pulled the cloth from his souvenir at the famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, the audience strolling between four-wheeled luxury cars and the well-represented experts were amazed: a motorcycle as the M.They had never seen an idual Type 1 with a transversely mounted boxer engine.

Midual Type 1 in the driving report

A work of art that works

First two prototypes exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1999

Even as a teenager, Midy was passionate about tinkering with mopeds, after graduating from mechanical engineering in 1992, he decided to build his own motorcycle. Always nice after work, a project like that needs to be financed – the money for it came from his company. In 1994 he received his first patent for the engine configuration, in 1999 he exhibited the first two prototypes at the Paris Motor Show, both still with frames made of steel tubes and engines made of wood. A long-term search for investors and a viable financial concept followed, and it wasn’t until 2006 that the go-ahead was given to develop and build a functioning drive. The cubic capacity of the Midual Type 1 grew during the construction phase from the originally planned 975 to the current 1036 cm³.

The technical data of the boxer are not very exotic at first: bore x stroke are 100 x 66 mm, there are four valves in each of the dohc cylinder heads, the inlets measure 36 mm in diameter, the outlets 31 mm. Marelli supplies the injection system with 54 mm throttle valves. The whole arrangement meets the Euro 3 standard, and the output is 107 hp at 7800 rpm and 98 Nm at 6000 rpm on paper. Values ​​that don’t necessarily knock you off your feet in view of today’s high-volume twins. But the Midual Type 1 was not about top performance, after all, we’re talking about a country road bike and not a racing roll. You should also take into account that the concept of the entrance design for a boxer is quite angled. Incidentally, there are various reasons for tilting the cylinder axis forward by 25 degrees. On the one hand, the 1500 mm wheelbase can be kept within the frame, and on the other hand, space is created under the rear cylinder for the six-speed gearbox and the swing arm mounting.

Alexis Goure

A basic price of 140,000 euros is on the price tag of the Midual Type 1.

Speaking of frames: The shiny silver monocoque of the Midual Type 1 in the pictures is a masterpiece of casting, milling and polishing technology, and it also bunkers 14 liters of fuel. When it comes to the suspension elements, the finest Ohlins goods are honored both in the front and in the rear: FGRT upside-down fork and TTX 36 shock absorber. The Akront rims are – of course – covered with French Michelins, namely Pilot Road 2.

Wherever the eye looks: Each, but also each component is of the very highest quality, as well as surface and material quality. For example, the handlebar fittings and many other small parts are milled from solid. The only one of the 1,550 components on the whole plastic motorcycle, according to Midy, is the license plate bracket. This enormous effort, a suspicion is slowly emerging, must somehow also be reflected in the price. It does too: the basic price of 140,000 euros is on the price tag of the Midual Type 1. Nevertheless, there are already two orders, from 2016 up to 35 Miduals are to be delivered to solvent customers per annum.

What can customers expect from 2016?

What can she expect? Alan Cathcart got it literally. The bench, covered with hand-sewn leather, is 810 mm above the ground. The sitting position of the Midual Type 1 is casually relaxed, but can be individually adjusted according to customer requirements. The boxer starts by pressing the red button on the tank. It gives off its power very smoothly and gently and amazes in the lower and middle speed range due to the absence of any vibrations. But as calmly as the boxer runs down and in the middle, he shakes himself roughly at the top. Between 6800 / min and 7700 / min it becomes a robust vibrator. Strangely enough, he works more calmly about it.

The sound is unique, although the ignition interval is exactly like in every BMW boxer. The sound is somewhere between that of the Bavarian boxers and Ducati twins. The Midual Type 1 pulls itself through in sixth gear almost from idle speed, load changes are barely noticeable. So you don’t have to switch gear, but you can, because the switch box works easily and precisely. Only the clutch requires a strong hand. The handling is outstanding, because due to the short crankshaft and the successful mass concentration, there are only small moments of inertia that oppose the nimble wagging. In view of these qualities, too, it is particularly unfortunate that very few people have the means to become IndiMIDUALists.

Technical data Midual Type 1

Alexis Goure

The Midual Type 1 drives almost as excellent as it is made. The maturity of the first pre-series copy is by no means a matter of course.

Midual Type 1

engine: Water-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, transversely installed, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts each, four valves per cylinder, rocker arm, wet sump lubrication, injection, Ø 54 mm, controlled Kata-
lysator, hydraulically operated multi-plate wet clutch, six-speed gearbox, anti-hopping clutch, chain drive.

Bore x stroke: 100.0 x 66.0 mm
Displacement: 1036 cm³
Compression ratio: 12.0: 1
Rated output: 79 kW (107 hp) at 7800 rpm
Max. Torque: 98 Nm at 6000 rpm

landing gear: Aluminum monococque with integrated tank, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base and rebound damping, double disc brake at the front , Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calliper, disc brake at the rear, Ø 245 mm, two-piston fixed caliper.

Spoked wheels with aluminum rims: 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires: 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17

Dimensions + weight: Wheelbase 1505 mm, steering head angle 65.5 degrees, caster 100 mm, suspension travel from / h. 120/120 mm, seat height 810 mm, empty weight fully fueled, ready to drive 240 kg, tank capacity 14.0 liters.
Guarantee: two years
Colors: according to customer requirements
Price: from 140,000 euros
Additional costs: included

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