Few experiences are as exhilarating as flying down a road on the back of a motorcycle. Something about that sensation of zapping along, wind in your face, exposed to the elements, unprotected, asphalt moving at warp speed beneath you, and a monstrous engine growling between your thighs. Speed. Danger. Adrenaline. Freedom. Life on The Edge.

It’s what draws so many people to motorcycles. Not only do they look fucking cool, but they are an adrenaline-fueled way of getting around and they say something about your personality — you’re a risk-taker, a free-spirit who likes to push the envelope.

But for some, that thrill isn’t enough. No matter how fast or sexy the motorcycle is; no matter how radical the road, for some, motorcycles just don’t cut it. It’s why you see some people pulling ever-more insane cycle stunts: launching themselves hundreds of feet into the air, driving straight off of massive cliffs with parachutes on their backs, or trying to clear the Grand Canyon like Evil Knievel. They need more…. 

Well, for those freaks, I have good news. Because, the French motor company Lazareth Manufacturers might just have a solution to your adrenaline addiction: flying motorcycles.

Yes, you read that correctly: motorcycles that fly. Whether or not they actually work has yet to be seen. But they exist…. And it’s a taste of the future.  

La Mota Volante 496 looks like something out of a Batman movie. It rides like a regular motorcycle — until you switch it into flight mode. Then, the wheels split and open up to create a drone-cycle with four jet turbines. Crank the throttle and, supposedly, the heli-chopper takes flight, and suddenly you’re soaring through the air, instead of along the road…

For around ten minutes, with a full fuel tank, at least. After that, you’re going to have to set down and refuel because, predictably, flying a motorcycle burns a lot of fuel, quickly — and bikes don’t carry much to begin with.

And, beyond the short flight time these prototypes are delivering, there’s also the issue of whether or not the LMV 496 actually flies… if you didn’t notice, these ad clips don’t actually any real proof of concept. There aren’t any shots of this motorcycle actually flying. The best we get are a couple of hovering shots, and then some drone footage cleverly edited in. It’s the same in all of the promo videos for this tech — there’s a lot of hype, but no visual confirmation that La Mota Volante has any real air-born capabilities.  

Which seems like the bare minimum that Lazareth could offer, since they’re charging $560,000 a pop for these babies. Almost half a million dollars and they can’t show more flight capability than hovering in a driveway?

That seems odd. But, realistically, this isn’t the kind of vehicle that someone uses to commute to work, to save money on gas. This is a novelty for the super-rich — a hybrid future-toy for the 1% elites who can afford such frivolities. It isn’t designed to be affordable — it’s designed to be badass, whatever the cost.

Hell, it might not be safe, it might not be functionally useful, or even functional at all… but it’s damn cool. And if you’re rich enough to afford one of these things, it’s definitely going to get you laid.

As long as you don’t die riding it first.