GaryInVA
XS650 Addict
Is that an early Bimota with center hub steering?
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Interesting motorcycles, not XS650
- Thread starter Kevin Werner
- Start date
It's a 1907 Zenith Bi-car and it does have center hub steering. Beat Bimota to it by quite a few years.
Latest raffle prize on FleaBay.....
The current trend of 'aero-wings' on bikes does not appeal to me; but here is what they did in the 70's GP paddock.
1950 Riedel Imme R100. Very rare in the US, only a handful exist. Very unique. Not many left elsewhere either. This one is even more rare being the “Luxus” model with chrome rims and horn.
The seller’s grandfather bought this new in 1950. It got passed down after his death in 2004. He took great care of it as you can see. This should be the nicest unrestored Imme in the US.
It comes with the original registration and paperwork, manuals, tools, spare parts and a Pagusa passenger seat. Even has the original very rare triangular shaped battery, which his grandfather dumped the acid out of and saved ! And he even stored the oiled chain in a plastic bag. The air pump is still on the chain guard.
Check out the one sided fork and rear swingarm, which is also the exhaust. Mono shock on the rear too. Designs way ahead of their time. The name “Imme” roughly translates to “Bee”, hence the logo on the gas tank. They say the engine was designed to look like a Bee nest.
This was one of the bikes featured in “The Art of the Motorcycle” exhibit at the Guggenheim musem in NYC a number of years back.
Not only a clever artistic design, but the designer / builder (Norbert Riedel), also designed it to use a minimal amount of steel tubing, all the same diameter, as after WWII the German steel mills had been bombed out, and steel was hard to get and expensive.
The rear axle goes through the exhaust pipe which means that the engine rotates so the suspension will work. 
Also keeps the chain tension constant as the suspension moves up and down. Very clever.The rear axle goes through the exhaust pipe which means that the engine rotates so the suspension will work.
AUTOMAN
XS650 Addict
Engine/swingarm are one!
Check the frictional damper knobs front and back!
Even progressive rear spring!
Check the frictional damper knobs front and back!
Even progressive rear spring!
Incredible design ideas, idiosyncratic or lets say unique technology, but full of clear ideas and prepared to lead the way. Even though in some cases nobody ever followed, still years ahead of it's time.
Last edited:
Charles13
XS650 Addict
Some bikes like the older BMW 450 off-road bike had the countershaft centered in the swingarm pivot so chain tension never changed, unless of course the chain wore, same idea but newer with a fixed engine
AUTOMAN
XS650 Addict
Only fallback is the un-sprung weight added, although not a 1/1 ratio.
That thing floats in the middle!
That thing floats in the middle!
.AUTOMAN
XS650 Addict
Set backs also!
I wanna un
cliff
I wanna un
cliff
That engine is a work of art.
Motorcycle ambulance 1920's
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