Who says custom bikes have to be physically massive to really take up space in your mind? This is the Martinceu Racing, and it looks to be quite tiny. Still, its design manages to speak volumes, in the way that striking designs of all sizes often do. Crafted by Toropriant Moto Designs in Jakarta, Indonesia, this minibike is maximalist in all the right ways.
According to the designer, the Martinceu Racing was crafted at the request of a customer. That said, we can’t help but notice the similarity in shape between this bike and the Volkspods built from discarded classic Beetle parts a few years back. They’re definitely not the same, but there’s enough similarity to wonder if there was an intentional design nod here, and if or when that came up in conversation between the client and Toropriant.
In any case, the name “Martinceu Racing,” as well as the font it’s written in and the graphic design choices made are clearly here to call to mind the classic Martini Racing livery—and, I mean, why not? It seems to be an ably rendered homage to what’s widely regarded as one of the best motorsports livery schemes of all time, across all forms of motorsport. The classic-leaning overall shape of this composition lends itself particularly well to drawing upon such a timeless design inspiration, as well.
There’s a racing #2 number emblazoned on the side panel, a tidy little belly pan tucked underneath, and very solid, industrial-looking silver metal floorboards sitting on either side of this machine. The round headlight with gunmetal bezel protrudes from the front of the pod, as do the pair of front indicator lights down below. Even though there’s no yellow to be seen in this design, it’s nearly impossible to not see a bit of a Minion-esque resemblance to that one-eyed, round design. (Thanks for living in my head like that, Illuminations Entertainment.)
The saddle looks cushiony and comfortable, despite the tiny size of this bike. The ruby-red gem of a taillight is also surrounded by a gunmetal bezel that matches the one around the headlight. It’s embedded neatly into the center rear of the saddle unit, while two more indicator lights peek out of gunmetal tubes down near the base of the rear fender. (We say “rear fender” because it’s the fender portion at the rear end of the bike, but this design is almost ALL fender.)
Gallery: Martinceu Racing Custom Minibike by Toropriant Moto Design
Brushed silver takes up the top portion of the Martinceu Racing, flowing from just under the headlight, all the way back around the rear of the saddle. The floorboards carry through this brushed look as well, and there’s a brushed surround around that number plate on the side. The teeny single-cylinder engine, frame, and solid steel wheels are all blacked out, so they practically disappear under the visual impact of the external design.
The handlebar unit appears to be a matte black upside-down bicycle unit, and it’s not immediately clear how comfortable it would be to ride this way. An abbreviated chrome exhaust pipe peeks out at the right rear quadrant of the bike, while a chromed robot-arm-looking pipe extends to the right rear of the saddle, thrusting a pod-style air filter out for some quality airflow.
Would you ride this bike? Could you ride this bike? Would you even care if you could ride it if you simply got to look at it sitting in your home any time you liked? In any case, thanks for giving us a fun design to contemplate, Toropriant Moto Designs.
