Lazareth 'Moto Volante' flying motorcycle displayed at Geneva Motor Show

The world of flying vehicles sounds quite fascinating, just like something straight out of a science-fiction movie. One such out-of-the-world model, the Lazareth Moto Volante LMV 496 flying motorcycle was displayed on the opening day of the Geneva International Motor Show being held in Doha, Qatar. The auto show began on October 5 and will go on till October 14.

Created in limited number of just five units by France's Ludovic Lazareth, this flying motorcycle makes use of jet-powered machine and is an updated version of the LM-84, which was built around a 470-horsepower Maserati engine. The latest product makes use of an electric powertrain in place of a petrol unit, delivering a range of nearly 100-km.

French engineer Ludovic Lazareth (R) introduces the Lazareth LMV 496 flying motorcycle to Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani (C) during the opening ceremony of the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha.

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French engineer Ludovic Lazareth (R) introduces the Lazareth LMV 496 flying motorcycle to Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani (C) during the opening ceremony of the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha.

It just takes pulling a switch to move the wheels hydraulically from their upright orientation to a horizontal one. Once the wheels are lifted, four jet turbines pop out from the wheel hubs and starts putting things in perspective. Cut to 60 seconds later and the bike has lifted off the ground. The combined power delivered by the four 96,000-rpm JetCat jet turbines is about 1,300 hp.

There is a kerosene tank concealed within the body with enough fuel capacity to allow the LMV 496 hover above the ground for a good ten minutes. The model can hover to up to 3.3 feet above the ground while future technology could increase that gap. Two extra turbines on either side of the chassis helps handle more weight or provide more thrust.

While in flight, the dashboard of the Moto Volante displays essential flight information such as speed, position, altitude, etc., and joysticks on either side of the handlebar control the flight. Each motorcycle cost about half a million dollars and four of these are available to order. Each flying bike gets a unique serial numbering for identification.