Motorcycle Modeling in Maya

Motorcycle modeling in Maya is a challenge. It becomes easy if we use more  programs along with Maya. If we use Maya and NURBS and quads, in ZBrush with Fusion 360.

1. References

The step towards motorcycle modeling in Maya is to have and collect the parts, components of motorcycle and all the  possible references. After that, the next part is to divide motorcycle modeling into sections and start the bike modeling.

2. Hard Surface Modeling

Before starting modeling with topology, we must understand this simple concept, of maintaining quads in an orderly way so that when we apply a subdivision to the model it maintains a beautiful curve. The edges or tension lines serve to strengthen your model, but however we must try to keep only those necessary, to have a low and optimized topology.

3. Start Modeling

First of all govern the base shape of the motorcycle and the super basic blocking of the pieces. Don’t forget to adapt the camera to the perspective of the bike to have better shapes.

4. Modeling the Initial Base

Following this form, I try to give a basic modeling detail to the initial form, in order to start working on different sections of the bike.

5. Seat

Start the basic sculpting on the base shape in ZBrush. Then add the subdivisions to add sewing details to give it a more realistic touch.

In this case, I did not follow the reference 100%, seeking to modify the shape a bit, thinking that this will be for printing.

6. Motor

Now start with the engine part. In Maya, create the base shape, then send it to ZBrush and using Dynamesh and boolean. It will create the final shape, and then return it to Maya, and make a retopology of it.

ZBrush is sometimes faster to make the shapes of certain objects. So, we use ZBrush sometimes. You can also do this creation of engine part i.e. motor in Maya. We use ZBrush to make the process fast.

7. Handlebars

Fusion 360 is also a fast software. Create parts of the bike, exporting in triangles, and then in Maya, making a retopology of the part. Fusion 360 is a good program to create fast and detailed hard surface shapes.

8. Speedometer

Create speedometer using primary and boolean objects within ZBrush. Then sent to Maya for retopology. As you can see, ZBrush is great for creating pieces with a high level of detail.

9. Gasoline base

Following the previous steps, start the basic form in Maya, then send it to ZBrush to give it this final detail, keeping a low topology, using Move in ZBrush.

Final steps

Following the previous chronology, we are doing each piece by piece in each section until we have every part ready, to finally unite everything. Always remember to export everything in FBX so that the object remains in the same place in each program that you exchange it. As they can work using ZBrush, Maya, and Fusion we achieve an incredible result. The idea of this is to reduce the work time, to model each piece of the motorcycle with greater speed and quality. We continue using these steps until we create the whole bike.

Now it’s Over to You

When a piece of hard surface is difficult to model, what I recommend is to see in which programs you can achieve the best forms, with greater ease, since in the end, everything is retopologized in Maya, therefore I recommend using the programs that best suit each piece.