Zenator Board 50cc

Glynn Kerr is a great motorcycle designer. He is not only a great designer of actual motorcycles (such as the Fischer or some of the Voxan); he has also hand drawn many great motorcycle concepts. Most of the "Could be" concepts shown in magazines before the age of the Photoshop (and Oberdan Bezzi) were Glynn's.

He also is a great motorcycle design theorist. When I was a student, an Spanish magazine published a series of his articles, where he gave suggestions for future motorcycle designers. I remember the first one very well: Glynn explained there that, unlike cars, motorcycles are '2D' objects and tend to look flat; so it's important for a designer to give his motorcycle some volume, in order to avoid this.

OK, Glynn. I understand. But I'm trying the opposite. Just to see what happens, right?

I like them flat

Flat motorcycles are sexy

The first name of this project was, in fact, 'Zenator 2D'. I changed my mind just because I wanted the '2D' tag to be free for 2D drawings in this blog (yes, sometimes I take decisions based on the most stupid reasons). I found myself thinking on flat motorcycles with high and narrow wheels after a while looking at the Garelli 125cc Grand Prix, one of the most beautiful racing motorcycles ever. And I thought 'well, let's bring this to the extreme'.

So this is the Board. It's meant to be some kind of Grand Prix 50cc racing bike, with a design focused on getting a motorcycle as narrow as possible, while -obviously- making some style experiments.

Lifting

In order to narrow the thing, I've drawn an engine with the clutch and the ignition in a separated shaft. I think that, this way, we could get a moped engine that is not wider than the cylinder itself. I also chose a Hossack front fork just because it can be narrower in the point it embraces the tire, and in the process I learned a little about how that kind of forks work.

Before saying what you are thinking about the shock absorber in this position, read the disclaimer. And buy a Vespa.

Also, I made the final transmission belt to be twisted in its way between the front and rear pulleys;so it could be narrower when passing between the footrest support and the frame.

These are the kind of ideas that could easily get me fired from my job, where I design actual motorcycles that have to be built, sold and ridden. That's why I created this blog.

Disclaimer

You saw it. I know it. That front shock absorber over the frame is going to hurt your chest if you try to ride the Board leaning on the tank, the way a Grand Prix motorcycle must be ridden. It would need to be enclosed in a protector. Or better to be in a more rational position. Or better being a fork instead. Or even better, the whole bike could be a Vespa. It's easier to find spare parts for a Vespa. 

But if you chose a Board, you already know it has this shock absorber in this crazy position. And that the belt wouldn't probably last a lot working this way. And that the bike is missing a lot of important parts.

It's OK. It's just a concept. I hope you like it.

Gustavo.