No more wheel spokes

[mbrood]

This guy figured it was time to clean up the old, traditional motorcycle wheel...

and did it in spades! Although I'd prefer some suspension springs somewhere...

 

(warning... 7 meg mpg file)

 

 

http://www.bergall.org/temp/venture/hubless.wmv

[barend]

Freaking Awesome!!!

[Kregerdoodle]

Cool, it would have been nice to see a few still shots of it...

[SilvrT]

cool... wonder how it was done?

 

if you go to http://www.bergall.org/temp/venture/ .... it's a public listing of all his files ... some good one's in there!

[mbrood]

http://www.amenmotorcycles.com/Images/mlsst-hub-300.jpg

 

The 2004 Daytona Hubless Monster by Mike Brown of Amen Motorcycles. Features the world's first hubless front and back wheels and the world's first 360 motorcycle rear tire. Check out his other bikes at http://www.amenmotorcycles.com

 

 

ROGERSVILLE — Mike Brown’s unique motorcycles have been seen on TV and in movies and are much sought after by celebrities, but it wasn’t until recently that his work received an official presidential seal of approval.

 

 

Well, to be exact it’s an ex-presidential seal of approval, but a tremendous honor nonetheless.

 

 

Brown is the owner, operator and creative force behind the world-famous Amen Chassis Works motorcycle shop in Rogersville.

 

 

One of his recent creations, “The Hubless Monster,” was among 30 original, one-of-a-kind motorcycles chosen for an exhibit that is currently on display at the Bill Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark.

 

 

 

The bike is an illusion, a riddle and an enigma all wrapped into one machine because it functions without a chain, spokes or axles on the wheels.

When it’s on the road, Brown said The Hubless Monster looks as if it’s standing still and the road is moving beneath it.

 

 

In the letter announcing The Hubless Monster’s inclusion in the exhibit, Clinton Library Director Terri Garner says of Brown, “We are proclaiming publicly that you are an acknowledged master.”

 

 

And Brown’s response.

“Ah shucks, not bad for an old Hawkins County boy,” he told the Times-News.

Garner states in the letter, “Your art speaks for itself, of course, and this is an opportunity to let it speak to a much broader audience. It also allows the institution to say something significant about your personal impact on our culture as an artist.”

The Hubless Monster will be on display at the Clinton Presidential Library until Feb. 8. From there it’s expected to move with the exhibit to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

 

 

The Clinton Library caught wind of Brown’s work thanks to two coffee table books called “Art of the Chopper I & II” by best selling author Tom Zimberhoff. Overall 90 motorcycles were featured in both books, and from that group 30 were chosen for the Art of the Chopper exhibit at the Clinton Library.

 

 

Brown was the only designer to appear in both of Zimberhoff’s books, and The Hubless Monster is the only bike shown on the cover of the exhibit book given to Clinton Library visitors.

 

 

Arguably The Hubless Monster has the best location in the show, only a few feet away from the most popular permanent exhibit at the library — a full-scale replica of the Clinton Oval Office on the third floor.

 

 

As for the bike itself, Brown said he built it by hand from scratch in 30 days of almost nonstop work.

 

 

“Hand-made tires — half a million dollars there — 350 feet of welding, 14 sets of wheels, 850 ball bearings just to make it roll,” Brown said. “The wheels don’t turn. Very confusing, backwards thinking. I’d sleep two hours, work six, sleep two hours and work six. I did that for 30 solid days.”

 

 

He got the idea for the drivetrain by watching a Ferris wheel “friction drive” operate at a carnival. Essentially it’s a small wheel turning a bigger wheel without the use of gears or a chain.

 

 

He reversed the rotation of the bike’s transmission, and it powers the rear tire forward by a friction connection that is hidden behind the seat.

 

 

The rear wheel is connected to the frame and doesn’t rotate, and the tire is separated from the wheel by bearings.

 

 

Similarly, the front wheel doesn’t turn and is connected to the forks at the bottom of the wheel, as opposed to the traditional centered axle and spoke arrangement. The effect is basically a giant empty hole in both wheels where the spokes and chain should be.

The first thing people ask Brown when they see it is, does it work, and if so, how?

“It’s very confusing in that it appears to not really function,” Brown said. “The day I got it done it was (painted) flat black, and it looked like if you cranked it up and put it in gear that the earth moved under it and the bike stood still. It looked that mean.”

The second thing people ask Brown when they see The Hubless Monster for the first time is how long it takes for the rear tire to wear out under constant pressure by the transmission and the road.

 

 

Brown’s response.

“I don’t care if it lasts two minutes or 2,000 miles or 20,000 miles. It just had to be done, and that’s the way I approached it.”

 

 

Brown admits that he’s a big fan of Bill Clinton. He’d even be open to letting Clinton ride the bike, but the ex-president is going to have to ask permission first. The ignition is hidden, and Brown said not many people know where to look to fire it up.

“If he’s at all serious about riding, why not?” Brown said.

[Squeeze]

That's a Fred Kodlin Custom Bike. The rear Wheel actually is driven by a rubber Wheel.

 

Works and looks very cool, but only when it's dry. Lots of Slippage why the Tire is wet.

[N3FOL]

I couldn't believe what I saw on the video...looks like magic.