Working as a designer means being able to balance the creative and the rational, instinct and reflectivity. Does that mean a designer has multiple personalities?

Jérémy - We definitely have multiple professionalisms. Somewhere between engineer and designer. The goal is to implement an aesthetic idea in a way that coheres with social and industrial reality. The designer wears different hats during the creative process. At the start, he is an artist, alone with a pencil and a blank page, with no constraints or technical/technological conditioning. Then, gradually, he thinks more in engineering terms, taking in the reality of the surrounding world, to translate the idea on paper into a feasible project and a usable product.

Are there ever conflicts, where you come up with something incredibly beautiful but impossible to create for example?

All the time. That’s one of the frustrating parts of our work. But it’s also very exciting. Because imagining something that has not yet been made means creating new possibilities. And even if something you’ve just imagined can’t be done right now, that doesn’t mean that it won’t be possible in the future, thanks to new technologies or a different context.

Are a designer’s creations a reflection of his ego?

Not directly. A designer must be able to design objects that are totally different to each other. But every designer has his own personality, values, and message to transmit to the world. This common thread, this unique and distinctive spirit, is always evident, across all the projects that bear his signature. I see the bike as a toy. For me, a bike cannot be too serious. It should allow you to have fun. This is what guides my design, as I conceive bikes that have an unrefined appearance, that are not too defined. Sophisticated from a technical standpoint but simple in their concept and overall aesthetic.

Are there any elements that make you more passionate than others in a design project?

The front and the tank. The front because it’s like a person’s face. The emotions and the message that the bike wants to convey go through the projector, the front. That’s where you can tell if the bike will be aggressive, nice or funny. Then the tank because it represents the body of the bike. And it’s from the tank that you can see the bike’s attitude, even when it’s not moving.

How did the Joker inspiration come from?

The Streetfighter V4 is a bike with a dual personality: it’s fast on track and dominates on public roads. It was born as a superbike and grew almost like a MotoGP, but is also suitable for urban riding. It’s a crazy bike. Like the Streetfighter V4, the Joker is also two-faced. He’s a clown who entertains. But he’s also incredibly evil. Three years ago, when Jérémy began designing the bike, the Joker was that of Jared Leto in Suicide Squad. A much crazier Joker, a hooligan, terrorising cities in his pink Lamborghini.

Is creativity addictive?

We all see creativity differently. When I design, I enter another dimension. I am alone with myself, the outside world no longer exists, time stops and I can do whatever I want. It’s wonderful.

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