Born to ride

The MDU was designed and manufactured in Poole, Dorset, by CJR’s team of in-house specialists. It has been constructed from the highest quality 316 stainless steel and toughened glass – answering a brief that called for a secure and aesthetically pleasing solution for the transportation and display of the new ‘Lauge Jensen Viking’ custom motorcycle while on-board the vessel.

“Since taking over CJR Fabrication three years ago, we have invested heavily in all areas of the business, so it is fantastic to see products made possible by that investment being so warmly received. As is the case with a significant amount of the work we do, it is as much an engineering challenge as it is a design or manufacturing one. We worked closely with the owner and Princess to ensure we created a solution that met and hopefully exceeds the expectations of all those involved,” commented Mark Russell, Managing Director of CJR Propulsion and CJR Fabrication.

Newly constructed MDU, which consists of a landing base affixed to the deck and an upper section, can be crane lifted by using two stiffener bars and four lifting eyes to transfer the case on and off the vessel with ease. Additionally, the upper element can be vertically lifted as a separate entity, enabling ease of movement when lifting the motorcycle in and out of the container. Wheel slots in the landing base also allow the MDU to be compact by reducing the motorcycle’s height when in the container.

To ensure the container is safe and secure, support is offered through the addition of two locking pins positioned on the starboard and port which, when fastened, x the container firmly onto the landing pad. For further security when the vehicle is aboard, the handlebar straps in the base maintain the motorcycle’s balance, an element that is especially important during transit. For safety of passengers on the vessel, a fan has been integrated into the ceiling that ventilates the case with the addition of a petrol detector to alert in the event of fumes being released in or around the container.

CJR Fabrication selected ‘316 stainless steel’ to form the majority of the metalwork for the motorcycle container, due to its corrosion- resistant properties that make it ideal for marine applications. The strong and durable material also ensures the structural integrity of the container, particularly during lifting. Additionally, to suit the style of the Princess 30M, the metalwork was mirror polished and painted in areas, with the forward face coated with a white gel finish to match the paintwork of the boat.

As maximum visibility of the motorcycle was an important requirement for  the client when aboard the yacht, CJR Fabrication positioned the container prominently on the upper deck, with the aft face made up of three toughened glass panels, which have double curvature – making the motorbike easily viewable from outside the boat. In addition, an integrated strip light illuminates the case to maximise its visibility at night.