The Volksmotorrad would have been perfect for the Germans chasing Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, or perhaps, as the builder fantasizes, it could have been a secret project from Ferdinand Porsche built for Rommel in WWII. I think it’s ideal for the post apocalypse when motorcycles are cobbled together from whatever you have lying around. In any case, what we have here are the vestiges of a Yamaha frame, fork tubes from a CB650, a right angle gearbox and a centifugal clutch mated to a 1600cc VW engine, all of it painted a nice desert tan.
Maybe tracks in place of the rear wheel?
It’s for sale, it could be yours.
Link: Volksmotorrad – auction over
edi says
This bike is cooler then liquid nitrogen 🙂
Phoebe says
That’s pretty awesome! At a show recently I saw a custom chopper made with a VW engine in it, but the engine was turned the other way; the cylinders faced the front and back. I don’t remember what it used for a transmission. It was very interesting though.
DWolvin says
Ugly, but Awesome.
For some reason I could see it being found tramping around remote South America…
Swagger says
Wow! My first 5 or 6 cars were aircooled Vdubs, and back as a kid I’d seen a spread about the Amazonas and thought it was rather interesting. Having a touch of Burning Man running thru my veins makes this one even more interesting.
What it really needs is 2wd ala Rokon and small diameter offroad tread tires……..
Kenny says
Square section tyres = scary
I’d be interested in the straightline performance though.
FREEMAN says
Nice. Looks heavy and tough.
coho says
Wow, what a monster!
This thing is begging for a Bob Mighell front end.
Spatch says
The beam frame looks like an advance over the Amazonas , perhaps a ‘high performance’ version with a flat six – Subaru or Porsche ?
todd says
Hmm, 800 pounds, 50 HP. Performance probably compares with a Harley.
I happen to have the raw materials to build a few of these laying around my garage… I like how he used VW brake drums and wheels for the front. I like this guy.
-todd
Scotduke says
Interesting bike but I’d question why he wears the outfit he does.
Ted says
Wow,,,nobody mentioned the machine gun mounted on the handle bars or the well used 2 gal red plastic gas can that feeds this thing,,be interesting to know what he used for a right angle drive that would handle 40 HP and is small enough to fit .
Tinman says
Todd, I drove a Semi with 300 HP for 32 Yrs, It pulled 65,000 Lbs just fine. How many times do I have to repeat that HP is for racing, Torque is for the real world!! 50 HP in an 800 Lb. machine can be just right, If the Torque is down low!!
bob miller says
It has two wheels so I guess it is worth the effort.
Jim says
Note the modified Afrika Korps emblem on the saddle box. Considering how uncomfortably ambivalent the Germans are about their World-War II past, I’m not sure how this bike would play in the Fatherland. But it’s a great combination of stuff that was laying around. I always thought the air-cooled VW engine was a good starting point for a bike motor — either use half of it for a nice twin or the whole thing for a solid, reliable road bike. It wouldn’t burn up the highway, but if a stocker can push a Beetle 75 mph, it could move a road bike at sane speeds. The car tires are OK; this bike’s lean angle wouldn’t run them too high on the edges, and it would be hugely stable on the interstate.
Thom says
Not the first VW-powered bike I’ve seen….. But definitely the most creative!
Mule says
I see a lot of stuff on the bike and rider that could be made much bigger and heavier.
A “Secret Project” from Ferdi Porsche? The secret is out! Get the butterfly net.
I’ve been thinking of building a bike from plywwod, PVC tubing and kitchen aplliances and I think now is time for its rendezvous with destiny! I was also thinking of dressing up like Darth Vader or Mr. Spock (I’ve already built a ray-gun) for the maiden voyage into dreamland. I’ll get that figured out soon enough. Just waiting for the green light from the mothership. Hot Damn!!
Nick5629 says
Hardtail, centrifugal clutch, almost no gas capacity. Cool bike in concept, poor in execution
Tinkerer says
@Nick5629: If you want a Honda Cub, get one. This bike is a testament to what a guy can do in his garage with a welder and random junk. Maybe you can do better with your own hand?
Al says
The square tires could be sorted out with a grinder in ‘no time’ or a sidecar put on the bike instead but the best part of that baby, in my opinion, is not owning or riding it but having had the fun of building it…
(Small) Car engines have so much potential in bikes for so many reasons…
…$1600 so far and 5 more days to go…
Seymour says
I like it.
PeteP says
The new Amazonas? You VILL like it!
todd says
Tinman, whatever. 72 lb-ft @2200 RPM. OK? As soon as you include the RPM you can calculate how much power it puts out and I doubt this guy races this thing.
When people ask about max performance they want to know how much power it has at full steam, not halfway through the power band. Besides, in order to achieve 72 lb-ft he needs to be running full throttle at 2200 rpm. It will continue to pull harder even as torque falls off on his way up to 4800 RPM when he needs to shift before crank flex gets out of hand. Yes, an engine will pull harder at a point at which it makes less torque.
Since when is horsepower only for racing? Every vehicle on the planet makes horsepower and they use torque to make it.
-todd
akumabito says
About the power issue.. over here there are tons of little cars with less than 50Hp, and they do just fine. My first car was a ’92 Fiat Panda. 45Hp and weighing in at 1650lbs. It would get up to 60MPH in 16 seconds. By no means a racing machine.. this bike has nearly the same HP figure, but half the weight. It still won’t win you any races (nor beauty contests), but it’ll move with traffic just fine.
Just wondering about the gearing though.. right-angle drive and centrifugal clutch? Is this a single-speed machine?
Rick says
I am the builder. Glad to answer any questions. Yes, single speed, gets up to speed quickly. Nick5629, what have you built?, Guy in outfit is VW thing owner, very commited to the role @ a local VW show. Handling: like a three wheeler/sidecar until you lean on to the tire corner, then it handles like a bike.
JIm says
Rick is a Genius!
richard hahn says
There is a Yahoo users group for owners of VW powered motorcycles. Many cool pictures of VW bikes.
Daoud says
Like Tinkerer says , “it’s a testement to what a guy can do with randon junk”. Organize it! It’s still junk but organized. Cool though and original. I don’t care much for the military angle though.
Tinkerer says
Caoud, once you organize it and make it work, it stops being just “junk” and becomes a working and unique machine, the product of hard work and ingenuity. As for the military angle… just paint it red, black and gold. 😛
Mh, I wonder how it would’ve worked slapping a BMW gearbox to it?
Sick Cylinder says
I have seen VW motors in Neval Dneiper / Ural / Cossack bikes – and they look like they fit straight in and would ride better than this version.
My personal favourite car engined bike is the Corvair powered Harley (follow the Youtube link below) – it’s a neat job and looks like it rides well plus that fantastic 6 cylinder sound! The bike features a compact right angle drive which copes fine with the 110bhp 2.4 litre motor. It would be great if Kneeslider could feature this bike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcrjx9qooPM
kneeslider says
Sick Cylinder, that Corvair Harley is pretty slick. Very well done.
ahog says
http://www.cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/zundapp/Zundapp_K800W_LHS.htm
Rick says
Yup, that’s the look I was going for.
MARK 5 says
yeah,kind of kool.i dig the zundapp look.
warner says
Attention: The Puba will speak.
I have this interesting unit here for repairs as we speak. As a VW specialist I will have no problem servicing the brake needs of today. However, Rick, As the builder, Can you inform me of what equipment was used for the final drive uint? It is the only aspect of this unit which I would like more information on. Please call at Big “W” Mechanical 570-296-7879. Thank you, time for a sip!
Puba OUT!
warner says
Attention! The Puba will speak!
Could I also know when construction of the unique unit occurred?
Puba OUT!