Škoda is a well-known carmaker, but many may be unaware of the brand’s two-wheeled roots. The 130-year-old Czech company started out as a bicycle and motorcycle maker – and it looks like it might just get back to that.
Škoda has just unveiled a sparkly new concept, called the Slavia B, reviving one of its first two-wheeled models from 1899 with a futuristic twist. It's part of the company's "Modern Solid" design research initiative, which aims to demonstrate how traditional designs could be modernized for contemporary times.
Created by Škoda’s in-house external designer, Frenchman Romain Bucaille, the cafe racer concept seeks to maintain the original's distinctive features while fusing them with contemporary stylistic elements. While it may not exactly translate to a production model anytime soon, it’s a bold signal from Škoda that it is ready to walk the walk if it decides to take on two wheels once again.
The concept features classic café racer elements like a solo saddle and deep-set handlebars, paired with futuristic details such as a distinctive headlight signature, sharp edges, and sleek, clean lines. In the midst of its clean negative space at the front sits a floating “Laurin & Klement” insignia—a subtle but elegant nod to Škoda’s founding duo.
First built in 1899 by company founders Václav Laurin and Václav Klement, the original Slavia B was among Škoda’s first motorized bicycles. This new concept pays homage to that legacy while also looking firmly ahead. It retains the recognizable diamond frame of the original but reimagines it in a bolder, more muscular form that aligns with current design trends.
Škoda says the concept intentionally strips away unnecessary elements in keeping with the company’s emerging urban design language. The use of brown leather on the saddle and grips, along with the matching leather tool bag on the left side, adds a tasteful vintage touch—an homage to the original motorcycle tool kits once tucked beneath saddles.
Being an electric concept, you won’t find the original’s 240cc motor, which delivered a mighty 1.75 horsepower, had no gearbox, and used a belt drive. And if you're hoping for more specs – motor output, wheel size, battery range, onboard tech – you’re out of luck for now. Škoda is keeping those details under wraps.
That’s all we know about this one-off concept so far. But one thing is clear: Škoda isn’t afraid to trade four wheels for two. The real question is – will it?
Source: Škoda