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The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Snaefell Laverda Sidecar Project

By Paul Crowe

Snaefell sidecar project
Snaefell sidecar project

François Knorreck, a French motorcyclist with a passion for building things to suit his own vision, bought a Laverda in 1976 and turned it into a nicely modified sportbike. He rode the bike perfectly satisfied until 1993 when he began to conceive the idea of a new project and got the urge to build again, ideas turned to design and led to lots and lots of labor, the result, more than 10 years later, is the Snaefell, a Laverda based sidecar outfit that demonstrates some phenomenal skills in both design and building.

Snaefell sidecar project
Snaefell sidecar project

The Snaefell is a completely hand crafted vehicle, the frame, the wiring harness and, of course, the amazing body, which itself used 63 molds for the parts made of polyester or carbon fiber. Some parts were sourced from Renault, Citroen, BMW, VW and Audi. The entire 10,000 hour project comes in around 15,000 Euros, which, at today’s rates, is about $21,000.

Power is from the original 1000cc Laverda triple which gets a matching triple exhaust out the back of the bodywork. The interior, complete with seatbelts, looks like a factory build. The door opens up Lamborghini style. Just stunning work.

Complex projects like these, where the builder does so many things so well, in his spare time, just continue to amaze me every time I see them. Superb work all around.

Thanks for the tip, Marcus!

Link: Snaefell

Snaefell sidecar interior
Snaefell sidecar interior
Snaefell sidecar project
Snaefell sidecar project

Posted on June 29, 2009 Filed Under: Motorcycle Builders, Motorcycle Design, Popular

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Comments

  1. Skizick says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:04 pm

    Motorcycles truly are a magnificent medium for the creative spirit of human mind.

  2. Gabe says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:19 pm

    That thing just blew my mind!

  3. Miles says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:34 pm

    Build write-up, lots of pictures.

    http://breganzane.com/blog//snfl.php

    I like the alternator and the custom steering head. The Carbon fiber door and vents is just incredible.

    Wow. Just wow.

  4. Kirill says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:37 pm

    why?????
    why not just make lotus 7 clone? because you want to sit face forward?
    ah, k, may be he wants to ride motorcycle and have his wife and a kid with him? or 2 girlfriends and doesn’t want to talk to them? and this thing is more dangerous then a car or a bike (i assume there is no subframe).

    all in all, awesome find. the skill is just amazing. and look at the attention to details. so much patients. this is an insane project of a dedicated dreamer. mind blowing

  5. Matt Fisher says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    Proof that different species should not interbreed.

    Seriously, that took a bunch of time, talent, and money. A bunch more like artwork than anything else.

  6. coho says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    Neat. Like a much more integrated version of the Side-Bike Zeus, but without the Zeus’ unfortunate “scooterness.”

    http://newsmagsidebike.free.fr/zimages/zeus/simpleviewer/

  7. Azzy says

    June 29, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    Wow…

    I would love one of these things! Too bad I dont have the garage for one. Its got the odd looks and some nice practicality.

  8. mobilus says

    June 29, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    Just beautiful.

    Now I’d like to see the Jesse James radial engine bike with the sidecar looking like the front fuselage of a B-17.

  9. Danny says

    June 29, 2009 at 1:58 pm

    Impressive machine. Truly a sidecar with some serious style points.

  10. FREEMAN says

    June 29, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    This must be the literal sense of the term sidecar.
    Impressive work.

  11. marvin says

    June 29, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    That is a very nice and skilful build its not to my taste but then it wasn’t meant to be and I’m sure that François is chuffed to bits with it. Its not an easy concept to build and he seems to have done it with skill and flair.

  12. j says

    June 29, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    Impressive engineering and brain but……..shouldn’t it be side-cycle. Not my cup of tea.

  13. David says

    June 29, 2009 at 11:11 pm

    The cost is a true inverse measure of François’s talents, that’s not a lot of room for buying “stuff”. Its an incredible example of hand made.

  14. todd says

    June 29, 2009 at 11:54 pm

    In California at least, you could add a fourth wheel and it would still be considered a “sidecar” outfit. It’s fun to blur the lines (more so than just car + SUV = “Crossover”) even though practicality is not obvious.

    This type of outfit is fun and interesting regardless and reminds me of the “sociable”.

    -todd

  15. Rosscoe says

    June 30, 2009 at 12:42 am

    Simply amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail. It looks like it was
    factory built. Some forward thinking motorcycle company should hire this fellow.

  16. rai says

    June 30, 2009 at 3:14 am

    this thing is literally a ‘sidecar’

  17. James Bowman says

    June 30, 2009 at 10:17 am

    I guess its art and I am not an artist, but shouldn’t the French finish the Eiffel tower first then move on to other things and perhaps not motorcycles?

  18. Sticker Boy says

    June 30, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    Looking at that, it reminds me of a bike accident I once had…!

  19. mikelabert says

    July 2, 2009 at 4:31 am

    now that is NICE….but even better would be if it had a steering wheel and controls linked inside the CAR….you could pick your ride depending on the weather or your mood!!!

  20. wd515 says

    July 2, 2009 at 7:13 pm

    rai – or is it a side bike?
    i can’t help but think they may have taken the spirit away from the motorcycle, and the sidecar on this one.
    at least it has triple mufflers.

  21. Marty says

    July 8, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    to those who say “why?” there is no point explaining, you simply will never understand.

  22. GreenGuzzi says

    July 9, 2009 at 8:46 am

    This thing makes so much sense on every level. Once the world is ready for this, then all our problems will be solved.

  23. Zippy_gg says

    September 29, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    Stunning looks, beautiful craftmanship, and definitely one of a king. If it were for sale I am sure Jay Leno would jump on the opportunity to own something so exotic.

  24. jess says

    November 6, 2009 at 10:35 am

    I,m only 56 but I can still remember when cars were called automobiles and bikes were called motorcycles.The builder must be a rail,my right would have to go in the car.

  25. thatdeadguy says

    November 14, 2009 at 12:24 am

    thumbs down. waste of time and talent.

  26. David Cady says

    November 19, 2009 at 8:52 am

    Would love to ride in the sidecar of this unit in the 2010 Santa Claus Poker Run in Lima, Ohio.

  27. Alberto says

    November 27, 2009 at 8:45 am

    LOL, this is ideal if you’re dating a girl with a younger chaperon brother!!!! you let him to have fun with the bike and you have fun with the sister inside the car!!!! LOL!!!!

  28. kamuran says

    December 3, 2009 at 10:52 am

    wanderful wanderful

  29. Johann Hattingh says

    January 22, 2010 at 4:07 pm

    Nice idea, nice bike or trike, what you want to call it, in South Africa we as motorcycle riders love the idea of new and strange concepts for showing of on rallies or biker day jols, this bloke will receive a lot of attention and respect here. A person who can let his hands and brains do great things are intelligent, must be respected and be boosted to further themselves in life. I respect you and think all the other assholes that talk crap here are jealous because they are to flippen dump to think of something like this.

    Cheers Bru !!!

  30. Jemma says

    January 25, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    So – that’ll be one Renault 25 TXi that died for a good cause (the tail-lamps).

    I have to say I like that and its very much worth looking for a manufacturer. If it had been up to me I would have re-arranged the exhausts more evenly – left,right and middle since it doesnt look like the two can be parted.

    I wouldnt say no to one of those 🙂

  31. David says

    February 1, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    I think it’s gorgeous, the workmanship is absolutely fantastic. I’m banned from riding motorcycles after my last accident but I think my wife would allow this providing she could get in it. More power to the builder’s elbow, he deserves a medal.

  32. Random Chick says

    February 22, 2010 at 8:45 pm

    That looks … wow. @w@
    I’m sure it’ll be expensive beyond believe, but I still want one.
    I could get a lot of groceries or take my dog for a ride in it.

  33. Aamir Chaudhry says

    April 28, 2010 at 10:37 am

    Nice Moto-car(Sidecar) I like it, its a new and different thing, and un-matched. welldone

    Best Regard!

  34. chinmay pamecha says

    May 7, 2010 at 7:36 am

    wat an idea sir
    it totally shivered the architechure

  35. Danette Hebert says

    July 5, 2010 at 8:43 pm

    That “sidecar” is a TWO SEATER — anyone see that? there are two seats and two seatbelts !! This is just plain awesome !

  36. robert lye says

    July 10, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    I have always wanted to build somthing like this and have done many skeches over the years of somthing like this but I have never had the money in my version I you could ride or drive I think what he has done is fantastic, and if it was put into production the super rich would be queuing up to buy it, I would love to see it in the flesh.

  37. Saila Vash says

    August 13, 2010 at 6:21 pm

    to all that say it was a waste of time and talent, to hell with you. if it were not for people who take chances and dream up such things, the majority of all we now have would be lost and never created.

    who knows, maybe a future designer will see this and take a part that he needs and build the next car to change history.

  38. Kenneth Street says

    September 11, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    How Wonderful!!!! Do not pay any attention to those who are negative. I would love one of these. My golf clubs would go in just fine, as I would love to ride my motorcycle to the course and not drive my other vehicles. This could be a world changing vehicle. From what it said in the article, the cost was around 21,000 dollars. That is sure chaeper than the Harley Davidson big bikes!! What a PLUS,PLUS,PLUS!!!! Let the public have them also. My total respect to all involved!!!!

  39. Yoda Rice says

    September 22, 2010 at 8:55 pm

    That handcrafted! That is plain incredible! Creativity at work!!!

  40. Dave says

    October 15, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    This happened to me once . . .my insurence didn’t cover it !

  41. Ava says

    November 8, 2010 at 8:39 pm

    This is the coolest ever! This is what the future gets created out of! Ideas! Remember when we watched Star Trek? Some of that stuff was ‘too much’. Look at us now!!! We wouldn’t be caught dead without our ‘devices’! Artists are the creators of the future! Put it there and then it has something to grab onto to come into fruition! Nothing is out of reach if you can think of it…

  42. Student says

    November 22, 2010 at 1:55 pm

    That’s a good design for stress-free driving. You can’t hear the kids, they can’t distract you… and you can still see through the glass to check on them at red lights. but you’d want to make sure that other drivers know how wide the sidecar is, how far the edge goes, it could be sideswiped easily and might be dangerous to be in if someone wanted to “wedge through between you the biker and another car

  43. Buck Norton says

    December 2, 2010 at 2:45 am

    Snaefell, mountain part of the Isle of Man TT Course – so it must be a driver, too…

  44. sean says

    January 23, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    can i just say you would look like the world’s biggest terd driving that thing around

  45. roman says

    February 20, 2011 at 2:39 am

    Skill to build? no doubt. Good looking? not so much. Unless you also like unicorns, read space comics and want to one day own a white Countach. It’s totally “gay”….and not homosexual just “gay” as in “fail”.

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