"QUANTUM SHOT" #638 Link - article by Simon Rose and Avi Abrams
The Wild, the Wonderful and the Downright Weird Designs for Motorcycles
Even for those who have never ridden a motorcycle, there’s just something about these magnificent machines that make us simply stop and admire them. In this article, we take a look at the cool, the fascinating, the unusual and the ‘what the heck were they thinking’ designs for motorcycles that have appeared for over a hundred years.
This one on the other hand looks more impressive. The Vespa 150 TAP, equipped with a cannon, was used by the French army and was meant to join the battle after being dropped by parachute (read our article about it here) -
From the movies here we have the Hill Valley police motorcycle from Back to the Future (left). And how could we forget Batman’s two-wheeled mode of transportation as portrayed in The Dark Knight (right):
The TrikeBack’s engine reminded me of the propulsion systems in the jetpacks and rocket belts from an earlier article right here on Dark Roasted Blend:
The Panzerbike from Germany, weighing in at just under five tons, has an engine that once powered a Russian T55 tank and the sidecar used to be the casing of a Soviet missile:
Toys for big boys? The Burgerbike, ideal for visiting the drive-through window, perhaps? (left) Not sure what the top speed would be on this one? (right) -
Not sure if you want to give up your motorcycle and buy a car, or vice versa? You can have the best of both worlds, with the Laverda sidecar bike (more info):
The Magic Tricycle might sound like a brightly painted kid’s toy, but it’s actually more like something from Transformers. If you prefer to be driving a car, the vehicle moves along on its side using three wheels, but can also flip upright and turn into a motorcycle.
The 4-wheeled motorcycle? No, this is not an ATV: Japanese "Tesseract" is a unique dual scythe suspension system, allowing this sleek machine to lean into turns like a motorcycle:
The kleines Kettenkraftrad was not, properly, a motorcycle, despite the front fork assembly; it was designed as a light artillery tractor that could fit into a Ju-52 transport. It had a top speed of around 55 mph, so you couldn't even get to the kind of speeds you can reach on other motorcycles, although its fixed upright stance meant that turns at speed could tip you over.
Because of limited availability of strategic metals, the transmission was constructed from aluminum, and had problems with the gears chewing themselves up; postwar owners who had the transmission copied in steel don't have that problem, which vindicates the design.
I'm surprised that, along with the NSU Sportmax, you didn't feature the Moto-Guzzi V8 of 1955-57. A bike so scary, that most riders refused to ride it!
The Gunbus: http://forum.motorcycle-usa.com/attach.aspx/16967/gunbus%20tires.jpg
and the Dodge Tomahawk, powered by a Viper V10 engine: http://speedwallpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Motocycles_2003_Dodge_Tomahawk_Concept__003713_.jpg
Check out the creations by "Doc" Hopkins at Doc's Harley Davidson, Wisconsin. All ridden and rideable bikes. Multiple engines and multiple riders. All built and designed "in house" at their dealership!! Way cool!!
I'm surprised that you missed out the Vincent Lightning (998cc, 156mph, IIRC) which, according to the Guiness Book of Records, was the fasted production bike for many years after Vincent ceased manufacture in 1955/56.
Wow! Like you say those photos are absolutely out of this world! Great idea and imagination, with an even better end result. I'd have a go if I was a better swimmer but not sure the D90 would cope too well... Maybe just buying the book would be a better idea!
Yeah, I'm really pleased that someone did justice to what I've seen in Hawaii. Inside the tube is an existential beauty that can only be experienced for a few seconds. Well done!
Clark's pics are amazing for sure, but being from Hawaii, you should know that the awesome pics he gets are not from the giant shorebreak you see him in...they are from much much smaller perfect shorebreak waves. He still deserves a ton of credit and has balls of steel, but just saying...pretty good marketing, I guess.
That bee thing is and always has been bunk spread by morons.
http://www.paghat.com/beeflight.html
"The "science has proved that bees can't fly" urban myth originated in a 1934 book by entomologist Antoine Magnan, who discussed a mathematical equation by Andre Sainte-Lague, an engineer. The equation proved that the maximum lift for an aircraft's wings could not be achieved at equivalent speeds of a bee. I.e., an airplane the size of a bee, moving as slowly as a bee, could not fly. "
Your ... "Africa also unfortunately figures prominently in this map showing the world distribution of doctors per inhabitants." ... entry should be titled: "Africa also unfortunately figures prominently in this map showing the world distribution of inhabitants per doctors."
Notice how Russia has the greatest number of doctors per capita. Trouble is, some of those doctors are not as good as those, let's say, in the U.S. So the numbers aren't everything!
This is the most amazing post I've read this summer. What a fascinating collection you've got here. Certainly provides more than enough inspiration for a writer.
If you look at the following google maps link, the San Zhi resort is clearly visible on the satellite images. HOWEVER, when you switch do Google Street View from the adjacent road, it seems it has been completely torn down and no traces remain... :(
Damn, what fascinating stuff! I must try to visit Battleship Island next time I visit Japan.
I was lucky enough to see the Walled City in the early '80s, though I was strictly warned not to go into it. Somehow it seemed to represent, all by itself, the popular notion of "the teeming streets of Hong Kong". And yes, it just screams 'cyberpunk'.
Are you sure it is 30000 police in the raid as compared to 3000?
Wikipedia Chinese says 3000, and I personally find that 30000 police in a raid is too. NYC currently has 30000 police officers. You don't need a force that big to attack a small area.
Fuxoft is right, the whole thing has been razed. Even the landscaping is gone. all that is left is the front parking lot. Someone screen cap that satellite image and add it to the post before it goes away...
They do tours of hashima now. They do have a website, and i'm fairly sure you can get to it via japan-guide. I was tempted to go when i visit Japan but it's too out of the way to justify going.
Battleship Island would make a beautiful resort. Get rid of the wooden buildings that have become kindling, restore those breathtaking stone walls and the cool cement buildings. Wallpaper magazine would have a field day there. It's hard for me to fathom so much wealth and beauty just sitting there unloved. It's an immense asset, just sitting there.
And there are big, beautiful stone walls on the interior of Battleship Island. You can't see them in these photos, but they are in the series of photos at the link I followed. It's like the Imperial Palace in Tokyo or some other castle from old Edo.
Last part of my "experimental" video http://www.moju-video.com/untitled3project.html was shot in Gunkanjima, from the sea, as at that time it was forbidden area, now tours are organised. Definitely worth the trip ! Another great movie about Gunkanjima from CM von Hausswolff & Thomas Nordanstad released on DVD by Errant Bodies Records.
Kowloon city is one of the most hauntingly beautiful things I have ever seen... its like something from a dream. All of those people cast out from society, creating something new and incredible. Its shameful that it had to exist, but while it stood it was a glorious monument to the human spirit in the face of impossible adversity. The people built a city housing 50,000 people out of scrap! Its sad to think that its gone.
I was amazed looking at these pictures. A few years ago I was privileged to tour Chernobyl and it was so haunting. There is something strangely alluring about ruins like these.
Haha, there are some great links here, thanks for posting them. I especially like the quirky inventions one with the Iron Dynasphere which looks incredible. The tandem bikes were also interesting, I never knew they had different types.
Grown up with this in view. Used to be a restaurant on top where I did eat as a kid many years ago. Locally know as "svampen" wich means "the mushroom".
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17 Comments:
"could this be the worlds largest or tallest motorbike" ??
no - this is....insane, or what ? http://www.vincelewis.net/bigbike.html
I was expecting to see a Brough Superior in the first pictures.
The kleines Kettenkraftrad was not, properly, a motorcycle, despite the front fork assembly; it was designed as a light artillery tractor that could fit into a Ju-52 transport. It had a top speed of around 55 mph, so you couldn't even get to the kind of speeds you can reach on other motorcycles, although its fixed upright stance meant that turns at speed could tip you over.
Because of limited availability of strategic metals, the transmission was constructed from aluminum, and had problems with the gears chewing themselves up; postwar owners who had the transmission copied in steel don't have that problem, which vindicates the design.
I'm pretty sure the Vespa 150 TAP mounts a recoil-less rifle.
Anything else on that would be a reverse-mounted rocket and blast the thing away from whatever you were shooting it.
you forgot the bike from Tron
I'm surprised that, along with the NSU Sportmax, you didn't feature the Moto-Guzzi V8 of 1955-57. A bike so scary, that most riders refused to ride it!
"Crotch Rocket" is not a real bombshell, but a disposable external fuel tank, I think.
You can see more of the wacky Steinlauf family here:
http://www.chicagofreakbike.org/2006/04/steinlauf-family-steinlauf-family-were.php
Have you seen these?
http://robotart.homestead.com/t2.jpg
http://robotart.homestead.com/WASABE_BEST_VIEW.jpg
I love the look of the "Swordfish". It looks so sleek and futuristic.
couple of excellent designs that you missed:
The Gunbus: http://forum.motorcycle-usa.com/attach.aspx/16967/gunbus%20tires.jpg
and the Dodge Tomahawk, powered by a Viper V10 engine: http://speedwallpaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Motocycles_2003_Dodge_Tomahawk_Concept__003713_.jpg
Two more worth mention:
http://greyfalcon.us/Killinger%20and%20Freund%20Motorcycle.htm
and
http://carstyling.ru/ru/car/1989_sbarro_orbital_wheel/
Great suggestions, thank you - will go into Part 2... robotart bikes we featured in Robot Art articles...
Check out the creations by "Doc" Hopkins at Doc's Harley Davidson, Wisconsin. All ridden and rideable bikes. Multiple engines and multiple riders. All built and designed "in house" at their dealership!! Way cool!!
I'm surprised that you missed out the Vincent Lightning (998cc, 156mph, IIRC) which, according to the Guiness Book of Records, was the fasted production bike for many years after Vincent ceased manufacture in 1955/56.
And no bike from Akira? FOR SHAME.
The Anaconda bike came to one of our local bike nights once. It was neat to see it in person seating 12. :D
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