royal enfield’s flying flea produces art motorbike with limestone

royal enfield’s flying flea taps mattia biagi for art motorbike

Flying Flea, the electric vehicle brand from Royal Enfield, taps artist Mattia Biagi to produce Motototem, a concept art motorbike wrapped with stone, walnut, and resin. The vehicle is on view during Milan Design Week 2025 as part of the Superdesign Show located at Via Tortona 27, running between April 7th and 12th, 2025. The Italian artist uses Flying Flea’s FF.C6 model as his canvas for the sculptural art project. The motorcycle retains its original silhouette, which is inspired by the 1940s Royal Enfield Flying Flea.

Then, he reimagines several components and forges them from natural materials. The range includes the use of stone, wood, glass, bronze, leather, and resin. For the concept art motorbike, Mattia Biagi maintains the forged aluminum frame of Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea model. Then, he transforms the house of the fuel tank into travertine, a porous stone associated with mineral springs. He shapes it to resemble a parachute, referencing the original Flying Fleas that were deployed from planes during wartime.

all images courtesy of Flying Flea

‘Motototem’ with handlebar grips made of bronze

Looking at the handlebar grips of the art motorbike by Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea and Mattia Biagi, they glimmer with bronze components molded from the artist’s fingerprints. It’s the same theme that runs through the course of the foot pegs to reinforce the tactility of the concept art vehicle. Then, instead of the typical front and rear LED lighting, the art motorbike incorporates hand-blown glass forms. The artist pulls the making of this material using high-temperature processes often involved in both art and vehicle designs.

The front and rear fenders use transparent resin embedded with dried leaves. After that, the front fender of Motototem integrates with the FF.C6’s girder fork suspension, which is a distinguishing feature of the production model. The rear section includes a seat made from solid walnut, replacing the FF.C6’s standard unit with a natural wood finish. Motototem also includes clay-molded inserts attached to the fork assembly. These clay elements are positioned where fork guards are traditionally found on off-road motorcycles, such as the upcoming FF.S6.

Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea taps Mattia Biagi to produce an art motorbike

Concept motorcycle with battery enclosure and fins

The same clay material appears on the chain guard, connecting different parts of the vehicle with a single design component. As for the FF.C6’s magnesium battery enclosure, originally designed with fins for heat dissipation and structural integration, the artist and brand keep it as it is. On this concept art motorbike, however, they furnish it with a black stone element.

The tires remain off-road capable, while the artist adds leather swallows to the tire surfaces as a symbolic gesture. These leather additions are not functional. They reflect instead the themes of travel, return, and continuity. Motototem then attempts to combine engineering with art and design with the use of natural materials. Visitors to the Superdesign Show located at Via Tortona 27 can see the real-life model of Motototem until April 12th, 2025.

the rear section includes a seat made from solid walnut