Scooter Armor: ‘Nuff Said.

Designer Marc Graells Ballvé was sick of the standard padlocks and alarms that motor scooter owners typically use to protect their gear: He reckoned that thieves knew how to handle them by now. His response? Project 486, a red shell of armor which he says was inspired by “millions of years [of] natural selection” and displays next to a picture of an armadillo to hammer home the point.

Roll the shell over your scooter and lock it before you leave, and you’re defended against thieves and weather alike.

Granted, it looks a tad bulky to haul around on your bike at all times, but it’s undeniably cool aesthetically. We’re assuming (?) that it’s made of some lightweight plastic and not sweet, sweet red metal, which, as hardcore as it might be, would probably throw your scooter’s center of gravity back a bit too far for comfort.

(TheMarcsWork via Gadget Lab and OhGizmo!)