NOX- This "Swiss Army Knife" of Motorcycles Is Modular, Perfect for City Life

From Seoul, South Korea, you know, the “cool” Korea, a group of students at Hongik University has created a number of concepts with personal mobility and zero emissions in mind. This concept comes from one of those students.

Dongwoo Lee created this Swiss Army Knife bike known as the NOX. Just think about what that looks like. Well, something a lot like what you’re seeing in our gallery. Don’t worry, it only looks sharp.

This design is made to mimic the look and oversized feel of the all-purpose tool. The wonderful stainless-steel outer casing, indicative of the Swiss design, is accented by that red we all know and quickly sparks the Swiss Army Knife image in your brain. If, however, you have any doubts, the white cross on the rear will take care of them.

The top of NOX is also designed to mimic the Swiss knife look. While riding, the headlight and speedometer rise out of the frame. While in park, they are safely tucked into the frame. No other gauges or panels exist except the speedometer. Nothing. But then again, what else is needed except an indicator for your speed?

Those Formula-1 tires help the design and really keep true to the Swiss army look. If you’ve owned a Swiss Army Knife before, you know what I'm referring to. But that type of tire design doesn’t allow for sharp controlled turns as a Moto GT bike would.

Even the Vision Next 100 has a more rounded tire. Looks like Lee may have skipped that homework lesson. This lack of steering in the tire must mean that Lee may have designed this bike with a mechanism no one figured out yet.

There is no front suspension on the bike, but underneath the seat you can spot a huge hydraulic spring. That spring is attached to a solid swing arm that connects the front and rear of the bike.

The seat mimics the mechanism used to access your toolset. I personally found Lee’s application of this design, coupled with the traditional functionality of it, to be near genius. I say this is because the seat acts as a modular trigger, morphing the bike into another “tool” if you’d like.

The bike has two modes, a driving mode and a parking mode, activated by manipulating the seat. In driving mode, we are offered a look at the entire bike in its motorcycle-style glory. While in parking, the NOX shows its true colors as a space-saver. Not very complicated if you ask me. But then again, simplicity has always proven to be best.

Here is where the modular seat comes in. As you push the seat down into the frame the swing-arm activates and the rear of the bike folds underneath the front, occupying the vertical position you see in the gallery.

Wait a minute, it all makes sense now. The tires are designed like this in order to keep the vehicle upright while parked.

Don’t bother looking any further into the design for footrests or even handlebars, there aren’t any. I don’t even know where the engine is or how it works. As of yet, no one has put up the funding to bring this baby to life, not even the Swiss Army.