Bike of the Month-Motoplast

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Which of these takes your fancy?

  • Total voters
    51
  • Poll closed .
To me I would be finding a way to conform the bike shape to fit my body while mounted on the bike,better get some spray foam Loathar.I recommend a liberal coat of anti stick material,that foam doest like coming off.Did a job once where I was practically swimming in it,I was scrapping it off my body with a razer blade for a week.Be a good idea to video it,might be slightly amusing.
 
Skeletor for me but loose the fairing and orange wheels. I prefer that frame design too. Best seat unit of the lot too. Cal dreaming is nicely finished but I'm not keen on full fairings and it has too much bodywork.
 
Vince said:
To me I would be finding a way to conform the bike shape to fit my body while mounted on the bike,better get some spray foam Loathar.I recommend a liberal coat of anti stick material,that foam doest like coming off.Did a job once where I was practically swimming in it,I was scrapping it off my body with a razer blade for a week.Be a good idea to video it,might be slightly amusing.
Click to expand...

Vince,

it's a little unclear to me, but are you suggesting Lothar puts the foam on the bike, or himself? Sounds borderline kinky, what with the anti-stick material and razor blades.  :eek:

bazzee  ;)
 
With that foam it docent mater where you want it to go,it does its own thing.I was half joking and half serious.The bodywork needs to follow the form of the rider to make him or her comfortable and make removal of it reasonably easy plus be reasonably aerodynamic.Looking at the above pics,its not an easy solution.Your governed by the structure and the rider,how many options are there considering the above restraints.That tends to explain why graphics got a bit push,and why most bikes tend to look alike.So what make one a beauty and another a dog?I know what I like but don't know why,habit maybe.
 
I agree they are very difficult to turn into a pretty bike, but the later version with the (mostly) straight tubes is the best basis, not the spagghetti version which is the one they sold the most of. Quite a few of them ended up here in Holland and Belgium at the time, some of them were raced, Dutch importer at the time 'Moto City' raced one as indeed did Belgian 'Team Enzo'.

I remember at the 1981 24 hours of le Mans, the Enzo team struggled with a leaking tank. It simply was not a decent construction. Now if that was done for the sake of beauty..

Wanted to include pic but option for attachments seems to have disappeared..

Marnix
 
Hi Rob, Vince and all,

the frame I have is the one on Option 3,4,5,6 and 8 of the competition. I like it a lot more from the styling side, though I think the other frame is way lighter (less tubing...) and not that "dominant". My frame though offers at least SOME lines you can work with, so hopefully, I will be able to shape things less ugly than the examples on the 1st page...

I do have a tank that's rear part I do like quite much, however, the builder seem to have lost patience when it came to the top and front...

But as I have to make up a tank myself anyway (bottom does not give enough space for longer bellmouthes etc. and shape is ugly of the tank I have), I will use this tank as a basis shape for the rear and work from there.

Seat unit I must admit I haven't seen ANY lately, that does fit the bike perfectly. THAT will be the biggest challenge to get right, besides the overall line...

Fairing is the least problem, as I do have 3 that would fit the bike and at least 2 are not the most ugly ones. Also, the frame provides a lot of mounting-points already for the (half-) fairing I am thinking of. But first, I have to collect the front rim and tripple clamps from Piet, put some rubber on the rims and some other things to get the thing onto its wheels. Then I can start shaping the tank's upper side and get an impression what to do with the seat etc.

Finding the right position for the footrests is the next issue then... Seating position is influencing not only the comfort but also the handling in curves etc.. To much forward and you end up with a bike that slips over the front and has to much rear-wheel spin as well as a less effective wind protection from the fairing, to much backward and you arms might be to short and sitting might be very uncomfortable for long distance rides and turning in to small bends might be a problem. I will need some help of some experienced person here, I fear...
 
My vote goes to the #79 Enzo one which is not in the list.

Not chauvinism I always liked the untidy Bevilacqua brothers way.

Remember going in Jemappes (Enzo's workshop place) back in the years was colorful each time.

Better to be patient  :D

St?phane

 
I am pretty sure that Enzo had more than one special, but all I could find was this one:

87-8.jpg


which does not seem to be a Motoplast. Any idea what frame that is?
 
Here's a pic of the Enzo machine @ 24 h Le Mans 1981. They had a few issues there.
 

Attachments

  • Marnix pix 001.jpg
    Marnix pix 001.jpg
    131.5 KB · Views: 42
MarnixSFC said:
Here's a pic of the Enzo machine @ 24 h Le Mans 1981. They had a few issues there.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Marnix, found that picture, too, when I searched for Motoplast pictures, but did not look at the "Team Enzo" sticker...  :-[

BTW: here are some more Motoplast pics...:


Motoplast6.jpg


Bol81_team%2520virage%25206_02%2520-%2520Copie.jpg


1000%2520Team%2520ENZO%252003.jpg


Dektereff-001b.jpg


LotharMotoplast0002.jpg

 
Lothar, I took that pic myself at Le Mans , so surprised it's already on the internet. Can only be Gijs van Dijk because I gave him prints of my pics at the time. The wonders of the internet!

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top