The 1941 Studebaker Motorcycle Concept was to be closely derived from the 1938 BMW R-51. The two bikes may have looked similar but the Studebaker would have had a lot more torque. This page includes the drafters notes on key features and details.
Studebaker Corporation BMW Plans
In 1941 The United States joined the war in progress in Europe and american factories were ordered to join in the effort. The automotive industry was no exception. One of the Designers at Studebaker saw this as his chance to make his mark in the motorcycle world and the war. he came up with an innovative design that would have served well in a foreign war, and it would have had enough power to blow the competition out of the race.
The design used alot of the components from a German designed BMW, and featured a British designed powerplant, the Ariel Square Four. The combination was incredable and three prototypes were immeadiatly produced.
Not long after the motorcycles were built one of the two main designers was dissatisfied, he felt the motorcycle had too much power, and that it was dangerous. Unfortunately his partner didn't agree and wile riding one of the prototype bikes, he lost control, destroyed the bike and ended his life. Didtraught from the loss of his long time friend, the surviving designer decided to destroy the remaining motorcycles and the plans related to them.
My Grandfather arrived on scene and was too late, the bikes were gone, destroyed in the factories crusher, and all but a few of the pages of the remained. My Grandfather Consoled the man and convinced him that was not what his friend would have wanted, to have his final work erased. He gave my Grandfather the plans and now I am sharing a extreemly limited amount of reproduced copies. Maybe one day someone will build one and bring it to Antelope!
