“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Nelson Mandela

IZH-49, 1953 year made, was chosen as a basis for the future Bonneville “dark horse.” The original version was heavy, had problems with aerodynamics and ludicrous engine yield equal to 11 CV.

Kharkiv experts - equipped with their wealth of experience, outstanding engineering talent, and dedication - managed to design the motorcycle that became the main hero of the Bonneville races.

How the magic was done

Aerodynamic fairing

The aluminum fairing was constructed in a way that allows not only reducing airflow resistance, but adjusting it for more efficient motor purge.

Frame

The light and solid steel frame, designed from scratch, along with a number of other upgrades, resulted in the motorcycle weight reduced by one third, to 125 kg.

Run tests

Tests were conducted on Ukrainian airstrips used for military fighter pilot trainings. Run tests demonstrated excellent results: the motorcycle reached the speed of 180 km/h!

Engine

Two-stroke, air-cooled, 350 cc engine has undergone a major upgrade: cylinder diameter increased; piston power stroke reduced while capacity maintained; piston group strengthened; intake/exhaust windows modified. Due to the modernization, the engine power was increased by a factor of four: from 11.5 to 40 CV.

Exhaust System

Piarel pipes of the motorcycle ensure an efficient fuel blend afterburning in the cylinder when the engine operating speed is reached (about 7,000 rpm comparing to the original 4,000 rpm).

Bonneville

After long packing and paperwork, in mid-August 2017, the motorcycle toed the starting line on Bonneville Salt Flats to establish the speed record in own class from the first try reaching 99.764 miles per hour. The previous speed record equaled 86 mph.

Sigma Software: being in the stream

Ukraine was always rich in smart engineers and innovators. Over the past few years, the world learned a lot about Ukrainian IT industry and its talented programmers. It's time to discover the potential of our bright engineers in other areas.

Volodymyr Beck

Board Member at Sigma Software
“This story is a great example of how bright minds, persistence, and dedication help reaching the goals that seemed impossible at a first glance. With little support from state bodies and sports organizations, Ukrainians have proved to themselves and everyone around that they build their dreams with own hands! Sigma Software is happy to be a part of this amazing project.”

Valery Krasovsky

CEO at Sigma Software
“Ukrainian engineers can actually work miracles. A strong school, deep experience, a peculiar mindset, and confidence that everything is feasible, you just have to believe and work hard - these are the distinguishing features of our specialists. In recent years, Ukraine has been widely recognized as a strong IT country that successfully competes on the global market. To a great extent, this became possible due to a large pool of talented professionals. Over and above, thousands of proficient engineers work in related industries. The eloquent evidence for that is the record set by Ukrainian motorcycle in Bonneville. As a company, we used to pursue big goals and achieve them, despite any obstacles. That's why we became project partners. We are proud to be a part of the team that made this victory happen.”

TOUR OF A RECORD-BREAKER

This story is a shining example of how a brilliant mind, perseverance, and determination can help achieve goals that initially seemed impossible. Sigma Software couldn't miss the opportunity to use this story to promote Ukraine's engineering potential further and attract young people to technical professions. Thus, the record-breaker embarked on a tour.

CHERNIVTSI

DEPOT SHOPPING CENTER February 2023
At the grand opening of the center, visitors not only learned about the motorcycle's story but also participated in a quiz, tested their knowledge about Ukrainian inventors and won prizes.

VINNYTSIA

MAGIGRAND SHOPPING CENTER August 2023
Visitors of the cozy Magigrand Shopping Center in Vinnytsia were introduced to Inspirium. Each month, around 150,000 guests admired the record-breaking beauty.

LVIV

LVIV POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY March 2024
To prepare for an engaging meeting with applied science students, the organizers went the extra mile: engineering kits, Arduino sets, and notebooks for jotting down crazy ideas were awarded for correct answers in a quiz about Ukrainian inventors. The exhibition attracted over 30,000 visitors during its eight-month run.

KYIV

Kyiv Polytechnic Institute November 2024
Sigma Software has a longstanding and fruitful collaboration with Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), so bringing the motorcycle tour to this engineering cradle was just a matter of time. The exhibit is housed in the KPI Library and will remain accessible to visitors until May 2025.

KYIV

Sweden-Ukraine Business Forum 2018
More than 500 visitors from various countries got acquainted with the record-breaking motorcycle. Inspirium proudly shared the spotlight with the latest innovations from Volvo.

KHARKIV

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 2019
The motorcycle spent six months at the airport, capturing the attention of travelers. The total reach was approximately 2 million people. Anyone traveling for business, vacation, or returning home - or meeting family and friends - couldn't miss the eye-catching stand featuring the motorcycle.

LVIV

VICTORIA GARDENS February 2021
Inspirium traveled to Lviv and was showcased for the next six months at the largest shopping and entertainment center in Western Ukraine, Victoria Gardens. Over 3 million visitors learned about the record-breaker's story during this period.

IVANO-FRANKIVSK

PROMPRYLAD September 2022
Inspirium arrived in the vibrant city of Ivano-Frankivsk, taking center stage at the renowned Promprylad, a renovated industrial space hosting creative businesses. During its four-month stay, Inspirium garnered a fan base of 300,000 people.