Ever heard of a front wheel drive M/C?

[Trader]

not only front wheel drive....but the front wheel is the actual engine!

 

 

 

 

http://www.strangecosmos.com/content/item/186529.html

[etcswjoe]

Never seen one like that but I have seen ones that had an engine over the front wheel.

[saddlebum]

Very interesting bike. Wonder if with todays technology what an improved version would be like. Might even be good in the snow.

[MikeWa]

I can recall as a 12 year old having an engine that we placed on the front wheel of our bicycle. We started it by riding the bike. Once started the engine did a respectable job of providing power. Although it did require some pedal assistance on long uphills. As I remember it was quite a lot of fun.

 

Mike

[greg_in_london]

I had a VeloSolex 3800 which was a French moped which sounds like what you describe. It was a laugh, but I sold it a few years back. For a while in pre-internet days getting tyres was difficult though.

 

I'm sceptical about the claim that handling was good though..... All that unsprung rotating mass - bumps, corners and braking would all have been challenges...

[Wizard765]

The engine looks like an aircraft radial engine.. very cool.

[dbikers]

There are still a few of them out there...i know these are newer but Christini makes both 2-stroke and 4-stroke models today...

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p14/dbikers/untitled.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NuyQ6An-yTY/UIbV-ySGlII/AAAAAAAAKKU/vYfnQelUIbo/s1600/christiniawd450.jpg

 

 

 

as well as rokon (been doing this for several years...)

http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=345632&d=

Edited January 27, 2013 by dbikers

[darthandy]

Someone had one of these at our vintage bike club's national rally a few years back. Rather strange looking machine. I imagine the gyroscopic action with all the weight spinning with the wheel would keep the bike going nice and straight.

 

Andy