Steampunk Motorcycles
July 9th, 2007 by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider"
What if technology had taken a different path? What if the steam powered technology of the Victorian era had continued on to the present day, offering up the same devices we use but with the metal, gears and wheels prevalent in those early machines? That’s the idea behind steampunk, current day tech with a steam era look.
Because of the current high interest in steampunk, quite a few artists and craftsmen have built or modified everything from computers to wristwatches with a vintage sci-fi appearance. They’re pretty neat, too, but I haven’t seen many motorcycles that would fit the steampunk category, some come close, maybe, but more by chance than purpose.
The Bobster trike shown above has strong hints of it, something I didn’t think about until I saw a few others comment and I would have to agree. Brass and copper are a strong design cue. Some point to the Confederate Wraith and when you step back for a second, yep, it has it too.
The Hubbard Steamcycle goes without saying, if you actually use steam power, you have ten points to begin with, add a little copper and brass and you’re in.
The interesting machine on the right started as a drawing in a biker comic and the artist’s brother thought it was so neat he decided to bring it to life. It doesn’t actually run on steam but it looks like it should.
The single engine cylinder is from a tractor and it displaces 1440cc, think about what that sounds like! Tires and wheels are from a Ford Model A. The wooden fork is made of ash with forged iron strapping plus there’s a shovel for a seat. Practical? Are you kidding? Cool? Of course.
There are other examples floating around out there, I only tossed out a few, but I think any design that focuses on the mechanical with a few added gears and wheels plus some brass and copper is pretty neat. Steampunk is all about the design and very little concerned with added (or lost) function but some of it would be neat if it worked half as well as you wish it would.
What are some of your favorites?
Link: Steam cycle from comic via Brass Goggles
Wikipedia steampunk
Posted in Alternative thinking, Engines, Motorcycle Builders, Motorcycle Design, Vintage Motorcycles
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18 Responses to “Steampunk Motorcycles”
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July 9th, 2007 at 11:45 am
You have to love the “old stuff.” Who would not like to ride a a steam powered motorcycle down main street. Look at the Bobster by Zeel Design. Take a old child’s trike, and make it fit for a adult to ride. You could literally put any engine within the Bobster’s frame, and it would not loss its appeal. The resurgance of the old boardtrackers clearly indicate that riders are looking for a connection to the pass. What was old, can and will, be new again.
July 9th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Check out a bike called Time Machine, built by some guys in Hungary. It won the Official European Championship of Custom Bike Building in Germany this year — it is dripping with Victorian engineering chic and was designed and built as an homage to WG Wells … surely the Dark Lord of all things SteamPunk. There are pictures and details at http://www.amdchampionship.com
July 9th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I love the old look, but rather than new tech with an old look, why not use the old tech with modern engineering and materials? look at the watch world. you can get a battery powered retro watch…. or you can get something with a thousand moving parts, like the patek calibre 89 http://marina.fortunecity.com/westindia/59/ppc89.htm
yes, very expensive - but with all that engineering going into only 4 timepieces, what can be expected?
so expand that into motorcycles - external valvetrain like the manx, open driveshafts, visible evidence of what is actually required to prople the rider down the road. I’m still trying to figure out how to skeletonize an engine….
http://www.luxurylaunches.com/entry_images/0507/10/vaskele.php
I like the idea of seeing everything at work as you ride!
July 9th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
aaron, that’s brilliant. an exposed engine and drivetrain?! i’ve always loved this style, but didn’t realize it had a name until just a few weeks ago. i think a victorianized bike with bleeding edge technology would be awesome. now that i’m thinking about it, it wouldn’t even be all too difficult. hmmm. . . back to the drawing board
July 9th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Wasn’t going to say anything (I realised I’ve been saying too much) but steampunk is really, really popular in nerd culture. I’ve seen steampunked computer cases, right down to vaccuum tubes that actually serve a purpose, that 1440cc steampunk motorcycle, and many more in between. I once had a copper case made up for an Xbox controller. Old stuff is now really popular (Check out the Morgan Aero 8, Triumph’s re-released Bonnies, the recent cafe racer resurgence). What’s old is new, as sweetlemonaid so rightly said.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I’ve seen this over the last ten years or so in bicycles. Some young riders are rejecting today’s 30-speed carbon fiber rides and turing to single speed, fixed gear bicycles with steel frames and forks. This isn’t just a styling aesthetic, it’s actual 1890’s technology!
Tom
July 10th, 2007 at 11:43 am
@Gutteral Tone: Gorgeous bike.
I think the Oomega by Chemical Chopper of Finland certainly qualifys as well:
http://www.amdchampionship.com/content.php?page=registry§ion=viewbike&event=2006world&bikenumber=023
July 10th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
I’ve seen a few people cast engine parts in glass to expose internal parts. Totally possible if you use hi-temp glass, like borosilicate.
The modding culture in any market is quite fascinating to me. I guess it recycles every generation. I never really understood what motivated people to buy inexpensive objects, only to then pour countless hours and money into them. It seems like that time and money could have easily gone towards a higher value object, designed and engineered as a holistic concept.
I’m certainly guilty of this, as I think many crafty people are. Instead of buying a perfectly good entertainment center for $xxx, I decided to design and build my own, thinking I would save money and it would look cooler. Which way is better? It’s amazing what you can get at Circuit City these days for $99.
A more related example of this would be tuners, and how they scoff at yuppies who buy expensive marque sports cars. My dad would say it’s the same now as it was in the 60’s hot rod era. The kids back then couldn’t afford to buy new, so the bought junkers and poured countless hours and money into them. Was their intention to spawn a new look, or were they just broke kids trying do something different. Regardless, the result was an entirely new culture.
Necessity (and lack of money) is the mother of invention.
July 11th, 2007 at 12:26 am
I, too, hadn’t realized there was a name for this motif. A quick google search later, and I’m in love. This conflicts mightily with the plan to build an electric racer…two different ends of the design spectrum. Hmmm. Will require much thought and a couple of beers…
July 11th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Those may be Model AA wheels (from a truck), but they’re certainly not stock Model A wire wheels…
July 11th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
@ spaceweasel - shouldn’t be too much of a conflict, electric motors are actually victorian technology, just make sure you insulate everything with gutta percha
July 11th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Oh, and the Time Machine? Wow…hub centred steering with wooden spoked wheels…mmmmmmmmmm
July 11th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Here’s a weird steam-powered motorcycle:
http://www.steamcar.net/field.html
The start-up procedure is a riot.
The Hudspith Steam Bicycle is also a hoot, pun intended:
http://www.steamcar.net/z-hudspith.html
July 12th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Heh, steampunk blog http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk has already posted up that trike… And they found the link from here. Full circle, huh?
July 12th, 2007 at 10:03 am
@aaron: How about the Ducati dry clutch.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/19/104233179_4b884ceae0.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/104233180_cf65192f22.jpg
Easy to expose working parts in this way and it makes a heck of a noise!
For the same bikes you can also buy clear belt covers, which are great if you don’t have a side fairing:
http://www.whaccessories.com/GSG998RadSideCover.jpg
July 12th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
actually, what first got me going was the aftermarket windows to the bevel gears in the aircooled ducati twins.
crappy link to follow, I couldn’t find a good pic on it’s own…. scroll down to see.
http://www.bevelheaven.com/stuff-for-sale-engine.htm
I hadn’t seen the belt covers, kinda cool!
July 12th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Take a look at http://ratbike.org/ for a bevy of heavily modded rat- and survival-bikes. They may not necessarily have the steampunk aesthetic, but definitely fit the spirit, with bikes cobbled together from disparate parts, improvised bodywork, and shaker-can paint jobs.
July 12th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
There’s an article on a Steampunked Vespa on http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk, figured it would be rude not to draw your attention to it. http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/brassgoggles/?p=573