KTM Heart and 203+bhp for the Diamond Atelier DA#22

• LC8 V-twin producing over 203bhp
• Hand-shaped aluminium bodywork
• Electroluminescent paint creates red glow from within

Diamond Atelier DA#22 ULTRON is an uncompromising custom hyperbike built around the KTM 1290 Super Duke’s LC8 V-twin engine. Showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year, the one-off prototype has hand-formed aluminium bodywork, custom suspension, a printed titanium exhaust and specially developed electroluminescent paint.

All that dramatic appearance is backed by some serious engineering. The LC8 V-twin taken from the KTM 1290 Super Duke platform produces more than 203bhp. Also shaping the whole design, the engine sits exposed allowing the motorcycle’s mechanical core to remain visible. Diamond Atelier also focussed on changing the chassis, mass distribution, aerodynamics and rider interface.

Aluminium was also the more appropriate choice for this build. Carbon fibre would have been lighter, but hand-formed metal gives the DA#22 a more human touch. Small changes in curvature, reflections and panel shape make the motorcycle look crafted, connecting traditional coachbuilding with a modern hyperbike platform.

One of the smartest details is the way the tyre tread continues into the bodywork. Diamond Atelier has copied the tyre pattern as a recessed surface feature on the motorcycle itself wherein a functional racing texture becomes part of the visual structure. The cockpit has Formula-style controls without leaving a conventional display exposed. Racing-inspired switches sit around an integrated cockpit, while the instrument display is concealed beneath glass.

The exhaust is equally unusual being a 3D-printed titanium system that follows the motorcycle’s architecture. Additive manufacturing allows forms and internal routes that can be difficult to produce through conventional tube bending and welding. Titanium also helps manage weight and heat better. Suspension package was developed with Wilbers Performance Suspension. At the front, the setup draws from the TYPR46RR system associated with World Superbike technology. The rear suspension is a bespoke arrangement designed specifically for the DA#22.

One of the coolest bits have to be the paint. Instead of hidden LED strips or illuminated inserts, the DA#22 uses a voltage-activated electroluminescent coating. When electrical current is applied, the paint becomes the light source and produces a deep red glow from within the surface.

Bodywork itself appears energised giving the motorcycle an almost unreal appearance without attaching visible lighting elements. When the system is switched off the panels return to behaving like conventional painted surfaces. The coating was developed for the prototype by Alex Bloch of Stilbruch Lack. Diamond Atelier says only one litre of this exact mixture was produced and all of it was used on the DA#22.