The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Feuling W3 Motorcycle at Las Vegas Auction

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Feuling W3 at the Las Vegas auction
Feuling W3 at the Las Vegas auction

The holidays are over and the winter auction season is getting under way. Looking over the bikes available I noticed there’s a Feuling W3 motorcycle on the block at the Mid America Las Vegas auction coming up January 6th,7th and 8th. 150 cubic inches with 150 horsepower and 170 foot pounds of torque makes it a respectable performer, not to mention the W cylinder arrangement gives it a very unique look. I don’t know all of the legal ins and outs that happened after Jim Feuling died but various parts of the company seem to have changed hands and re-emerged under new management. It’s too bad someone didn’t pick up production of the W3 engine after all the dust settled but it’s nice to see one in what appears to be great condition and ready to run.

Of course, to make it really interesting, someone needs to rotate this 90 degrees like the Moto Guzzi W103 and build a bike around that.

Link: MidAmerica Auctions

Feuling W3 engine closeup
Feuling W3 engine closeup

Comments

  1. “Of course, to make it really interesting, someone needs to rotate this 90 degrees like the Moto Guzzi W103 and build a bike around that.”

    Ha, I thought the same thing when I first looked at the photo!

  2. You know we have reached some sort of Milestone when 150HP and 170 Torque are considered enough for a “respectible performer”. Happy New Year !!

  3. I wonder what that baby weighs? You could do 4, 5, and 6 cylinder version and make hemi-radial engines 😉

  6. “Looked so well developed it could have come from HD.”

    NoH20H: If only HD had the stones to do it…..

  7. Jim Feuling was a true American hero in terms of his engineering and countless innovations. Great to see one of these bikes surface. Would love to ride one someday, just to experience the sound and power of the W3 mill.

  8. Does anyone have video/sound footage of a W3 running? I still haven’t heard one of these things and would love to cop an ear full!

  9. I saw the Fueling bikes displayed at the Del Mar Concours back in the ’90s or maybe it was 2000. They fired one up and it sounded something like two Harley’s running in harmony, if that makes any sense. Just a great and unique sounding motor. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the W3 was sort of spec motor done with a bit of H-D H-D money involved, but H-D were not sufficiently interested to move forward with it. There’s probably a story there that Paul could research and entertain us with.

    • I’ve never heard a Fueling bike run, but back in the early 70’s there was a guy that had a drag bike with two Harley 74’s mounted inline on a common primary chain, so I have heard two Harleys in harmony. It was quite the sound as I recall. I’ve also heard two Bonneville’s in harmony under the same circumstance, but unfortunately not at the same event. It would have been something to hear them run side by side.

  10. Interesting engine and yep, I’d like to hear how one sounds running. The bike itself looks less interesting to me – not my kind of thing.

  11. I have to ask why no one went forward with this bike after Jim died? Surely, with all the crap cookie cutter choppers out there, there had to be a market for this bike. or, was it just too expensive? Its different and I think that different is good.

  12. It is nice to see people doing different things, whether you like the designs or not. If we do the same as we have done, we will get the same results.
    With respect to this bike, it appears as if it could suffer from cooling issues. Either way, it’s nice so see something fresh, even if it’s not my style.

  13. I am Jim Feuling’s widow. The reason nothing happened is because the people Jim had in charge of his Trust allowed his former employees, Gene Sheehan and Allon McBee to sue me and my family and they ended up with his oil pump company. I however, hold the patents to the W-3 motorcycle engine and Jim’s Ford patents. As my late husband used to say…Stay tuned. Our daughter, Theresa, is now 16 years old and doing very well, for those of you interested.

    Mrs. Kathleen Feuling

    • I have both seen and heard the W3 motorcycle, even sat on one. I must say that the W3 is an impressive piece of machinery. Contrary to what has been stated, the bike is awesome! A beautiful and powerful motorcycle. It is unfortunate that the widow had to “suddenly” decide to take interest, when the other contributors to its’ design and IMPROVEMENTS had a strong desire to carry on Jims’ DREAM BIKE. Ms. Fueling appears uninformed, and it is quite inappropriate to state the names of the very intelligent and MORAL “supporters” and ENGINEERS who helped make the W3 possible. I know Willie and Bill Davidson, as well as Gene and Allon. It is a tragic loss for Mrs. Fueling to have lost her husband, but to make “half-truth” statements about Gene and Allon, regarding the bike that she had little interest in, is also a tragedy. There was not just the ONE W3, built. there were several…BUILT AND IMPROVED BY ALLON AND GENE, after the unfortunate passing of Mr. Fueling. The motorcycle is a masterpiece, to say the least, but its’ original design had flaws, that Allon McBee and Gene Sheehan engineered to make it a very remarkable motorcycle. It’s sad that the production of this awesome motorcycle has been stopped dead in its tracks, due to “sudden” interest and greed, once the bike was improved and the marketing was just beginning to “blow the roof off the custom motorcycle industry”. Lawsuit?…Several years after Mr. Fuelings’ passing?….Was it because the motorcycle was finally “re-created” to be practicle, beautiful and an amazing custom bike? God bless all involved. The W3 pictured is the FIRST bike…the prototype…NOT what the improved W3 became, when Allon and Gene DID choose to carry on the dream that Jim had, and create a motorcycle that would revolutionize custom bikes as we know them today. Since, unfortunately, only one custom W3 EXISTS, because the others were mandated to be DESTROYED, due to what reason? It’s a shame.
      The IMPROVED custom W3 sounded like the rolling thunder of 3 HD’s, with the finesse of a true custom motorcycle. RIP Jim. Good luck to you, Allon and Gene…I feel saddened that you got the RAW end of what COULD have been a beautiful partnership. RIP W3. 🙁

  15. Kathleen, there are two kinds of people…makers and takers. This website is about makers. We all know and respect the name Jim Feuling, whereas I suspect Gene or Allon (Who?) will check-out unnoticed when their rents come due. We all wish you and your family the best.

  16. Thank you for your kind words. When I have something new to report, I will make sure it is first on the Kneeslider.

    Jim’s wife

    • I also saw the W3 at Del Mar. I was standing about 10 yards away we they fired it up. I was hooked from that moment. Started saving every dollar, and spoke with someone at Feuling a few times about buying the engine and frame package they were offering…but sadly, it all ended.
      If you build it again, I will buy one!

  17. No real success here, unfortunately….Allon McBee and Gene Sheehan DID carry on Jims’ W3 Dream bike…There were some IMPROVED, BEAUTIFUL, CUSTOM W3’s built, re-engineered, AFTER Mr. Fuelings’ passing. Prior to his death, Jim, Allon, Gene and a few others WORKED TOGETHER to create this motorcycle. It was ALLON MCBEE AND GENE SHEEHAN WHO IMPROVED THE DESIGN, made it less awkward to ride, less expensive to own….but none could be sold, because there was a SUDDEN interest in the motorcycle, AFTER its’ re-engineering, and its’ introduction to HD. Which was NOT done by Jim, nor his widow….She could have HAD IT MADE, if she would have been willing to work TOGETHER with Allon McBee and Gene Sheehan. So WHO is the real TAKER? Only God knows that truth. BTW…Allon McBee and Gene are off on their OWN business ventures, and doing VERY WELL…as Allon and team are geniuses in this field. Too bad that Ms. Fueling had the courts order the other re-engineered and modified bike DESTROYED. Oh well…at least there are photos of them floating around somewhere…I am CERTAIN that MANY people took interest, once the W3 was improved, and customized to look like a real hard-core custom bike lovers’ dream bike. I would love to see Allon, Gene and Ms. Fueling WORK TOGETHER to RE-Birth the W3 and put it back into production. The way it turned out….was a lose lose situation…for what reason? God bless all involved.

    • Not that the world is listening…but Indy Girl, I do not know where you got your info from, this is specifically addressed to you. I didn’t really address one particular accusation that you hurled at me and I would like to do so now. The lawsuit that Gene and Allon served me with was never heard by a judge, it was settled through Jim’s Trustee’s attorney’s and setttled out of court after three years. If you have in your hands an order from the Judge that I ordereds to crush the remaineing W-3’s I would like to see it because it never happened. You are either being lied to with the propaganda that is Gene and Allon or you are part of the Sheehan/McBee group. Also, if Gene and Allon are such genious’ why don’t they drop the Feuling name from the oil parts company and just call themselves Sheehan-McBee oil parts. Why do they still need Jim’s name. Stay tuned…Mrs. JJF

  18. Who are you any way? You only have one side and MY husband is watching over. As was stated before, Jim is well known and respected. It is his name that carries the product. Any one else that proclaims to have some sort of invention priorities to his technologies it a “Wanna Be'”. The truth is going to come out very soon.. Step out of the way Indy Girl, you are in over your head.

    Mrs. James J. Feuling

  19. hi, UK calling here, is there anywhere to buy one of either of them please?
    Want to build a show stopping European winner for next year, any ideas?
    ftd

    • I will keep you posted because the patents I hold on the W-3 are until 2015 and we will be proceeding with production at some time soon. Thank you for your dedicated loyalty to Jim Feuling.

      Kathleen Feuling

  20. To all of you who still care about my husband’s designs, I will be able to make an annoucement soon.Very soon, before summertime…Kathleen Feuling

  21. Kathleen

    This is Rob – Jims nephew… Would love to get behind this project and finally bring this magnificent creation to market!

    Monster Brodies!!!