Fastest Soviet race car from pre-WWII era inspires incredibly cool GL-1m motorbike

 

The 1938 GAZ GL1 was fastest Soviet race car before the Second World War and this motorbike concept pays a fitting tribute to the classic vehicle. Named the GL-1m, the motorbike was created by Muscovite Mikhail Smolyanov and the vehicle also has a GL version called the GL-2m. To make the bike look and feel more like a real race car, the designer perforated the front wheel. The form of streamliner trains was the inspiration behind the retro styling of the silver-heavy vehicle.

The dominant red color used in the vehicle is also a tribute to the old racing car that inspired the bike while its unibody shape forms just the right basis for its uber futuristic appeal which is further enhanced by the prominent rear wheel. The smooth curves of the GL-1m help accentuate the single-body frame of the vehicle that actually draws the bike a lot closer to the form of the racecar. The GL-1m was deliberately fitted with a small handlebar to emphasize the old world charm of the bike while the two-cylinder engine mounted flat on the bottom of the tank.

Adistinctly thin but long footing provides riders the necessary protection while riding at higher speeds and also helps to keep them stable. The GL-1m comes with specially-fashioned rear wheels that are covered with black trim to ensure a similarity to the original racecar that impacted its design. With a single installation naked front wheel suspension, the front fascia of the GL-1m Bike comes with an indicator planted in a round tank and resembles the face of an insect complete with double lamps.

The GL-2m is basically the same motorbike as the GL-1m but with a slightly longer body. Minor design differences also distinguish the two models with the exhaust placed on the right hand side on the GL-2m being one of the more prominent markers. While the front, when in the GL-1m was left uncovered, it is the rear wheel in the GL-2m which has been deliberately left uncovered to give a dramatic twist and to allow people to distinguish between the two almost identical models. The GL-2m also features taillights that are similar to the lamps featured on the larger American sedans produced in the ‘50s, especially the 1955 Chevy Bel-Air.

And just in case you thought this project was one of those designed-for-forums-only project, think again. Mikhail intends to have this vehicle manufactured and is even touting the design around in competitions even offering two engine options to lure manufacturers.


Via: Cyber Sulut