The Ultimate Muscle Bike - Friedel Münch - Nothing Is Impossible

[@colnuttall9035]

In the 1980's I owned a Munch TTS Mammoth in Australia (one of only 4 in the country). It was a fantastic bike that I had yearned for since seeing a pair of them at The Melbourrne Motor show in 1973. It was a comfortable tourer and I often rode it on long runs. Mine had the single Yammaha headlight and mechanical fuel injection. Everywhere it went drew a crowd. One of life's joys. Thank you for the video, it was lovely to see so many of these bikes.

[@barebonesmc]

thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too mate. It made me wonder how many of those original 500 Mammuts are still rolling and still making people smile everywhere they go 🙂Ride Free 🙂

[@HarbingerOfDeath10-67]

@@colnuttall9035 What happened to it?

[@rogerthedodger5788]

It went the way of all Mammoths- extinct

[@JohnJohn-h7c]

Thank you very much for the interesting story and the beautiful photos and videos. His life is as interesting as his motorcycles. Both are published in a book - "The Legend Friedel Münch and his motorbikes" - which, as far as I know, is no longer available for purchase.

[@barebonesmc]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊. I’ve seen bits of the book but never the whole book😊

[@jamesbreedlove6396]

Once again, my friend, thank you for the hard work that you do. I appreciate it as much as we all do.

[@barebonesmc]

🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. what were your favourite bits? did you prefer the original or the later iterations? have a great week 🙂

[@kakprat]

Great video, very informative. I had heard about these bikes but didn't know much about them. Now I do.

[@barebonesmc]

🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. what were your favourite bits? Ride Free 🙂

[@1000sguzzi]

I remember seeing one in a magazine in the early 70s and i have only ever seen one in the i.o.m in 1980.. Thanks for uploading this. .Cheers..😊

[@barebonesmc]

What an engineer 👌👍💪

[@cuddlepaws4423]

What an amazing range of bikes. Built by a brilliant and uncompromising engineer. My husband could just get his feet on the floor in bike boots with the 30" height saddle. However, he would only ride it for about 5 minutes before he had to stop and change his underwear. Lovely to see them still going and owned by people who appreciate great engineering and craftsmanship. A 2L turbo engine with 276HP in a bike is nuts, but wow!!

[@barebonesmc]

glad it jogged some good memories 🙂Cheers for watching. have a great week 🙂

[@nitrousninja882]

I first saw photos of the Munch Mammoth 4 in 1971 when a friend had a motorcycle magazine that featured an article about the bike. My friends and I never forgot the article and always talked about the German hand-made bike powered by an automobile engine. The photo in this video of Munch riding a wheelie on an early Mammoth still stirred my imagination. I always wanted to purchase a Mammoth, but I fear I never could afford one.

[@barebonesmc]

me neither mate 🙂 they were the pin up on many a teenage bedroom wall though 🙂

[@Fubar684]

I've known about these bikes for a long time, but this video describes the whole history. Well done, Sir!

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@jonm7272]

Wow, I'd heard of the Mammoth of course but never heard of that 2.0L Titan. What an amazing machine!

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂

[@sadwingsraging3044]

7:40 Tried to work out the rake and trail on that front,,, fork(?!?!) but had to give up after the amount of aspirin had reached the maximum daily allowable limit.😵‍💫 Pulled out another bike I had never even knew existed. Bespoke indeed.

[@barebonesmc]

that leading link system on that one is pretty special 🙂 i have no idea on the details of that one, every one as individual as you and me 🙂 if i havent said it before mate, the donations are much appreciated, but if you do it via youtube they take most of it (over 60%) if you use the link in description, it all comes to me lol. and they dont need any more lol, have a great week, and thanks again

[@sadwingsraging3044]

@barebonesmc last time I tried that way it wouldn't go through. Now if you were to take a small bit of time to set up a mirror channel on that other platform that actually allows conversations that this one doesn't, rhymes with bumble, they don't take anything at all. Believe me. I only give this platform what is due any other wh🤬re that gets used. Probably the only reason I haven't been permanently kicked yet.

[@barebonesmc]

@@sadwingsraging3044 lol, i did set up a channel on rumbe and put the dakar stuff up but there is just no audience for bike stuff on there, it just gets no coverage. i will try and look at link to see if anything is wrong, it is appreciated anyway, they werent so mean this time, they only took 50 % lol

[@sadwingsraging3044]

@barebonesmc you didn't mention it and it costs you nothing to mirror your videos to it. See you over there!

[@barebonesmc]

@@sadwingsraging3044 i mentioned it in a few videos, its been set up a while now. i did it after all the mess with Dakar when they shut out the channel completely on here the backup channel on here isnt monetised, so i can sau more on there, but not much more, and theyve shut me out of that once already too lol, im just not good at playing the game i guess lol, it all takes time too, and that is something i am sorely short of

[@daryldaryl913]

I am a 63 yr old Australian male and a motorcycle enthusiast since my early teens. I never knew of these bikes. I am blown away by the advancement and extraordinary worksmanship of these lovely motorcycles. The individual makes are amazing . I will find out more . Thank you very, very much. All that power at low revs and six speed ( and so much more) years ago is amazing. I love these machines. I wish i knew years ago of this great motorcycles. Thank you to post.

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. hope youll climb aboard. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@Romanwk1]

Truly an outstanding motorcycle. I wish I was 30 years younger and I had one👍

[@barebonesmc]

never say never :-)

[@curtn7076]

What a bike! Thanks for keeping this history around.

[@barebonesmc]

some people should always be remembered :-)

[@grayfool]

Really is a monster. Not sure I would dare throw a leg over one of those. 2000cc turbo? Holy Moly!!!

[@barebonesmc]

i dont think id enjoy the newer one, but a ride on an original TTS1000 or 1200 would be awesome i think, and plenty fast enough for me 🙂

[@HarbingerOfDeath10-67]

Nice!!! What a revolutionary beast! 🤘

[@barebonesmc]

Sometimes they do just get it right lol 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@stephenpoessl5464]

Wow they are work's of art with fantastic engineering mind you isn't that what you expect from a German I may be biased as my father was German.

[@barebonesmc]

we are allowed our biases mate 🙂 glad you enjoyed it

[@josephpacchetti5997]

I've been subscribed to you channel for some time, I don't reply often, but It Is great to listen to a Gentleman that knows his stuff, I started riding 68, and I believe you have more experience than myself, 👍THX.🇮🇹

[@barebonesmc]

we come from a similar and simpler time mate :-) glad you like what i do, bikes are my obsession lol

[@noodles2x4]

Very interesting. I looked Munch up & Jay Leno has a 1966 in his garage. Keep up the great work. Soccer/football season is abound, so early rides will be later. Loving my bike more & more & my ass is getting harder or my saddle is softening. ;-)

[@barebonesmc]

thanks for your support mate 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too . have a great week. a good seat moulds to your ar$e but a good ar$e moulds to your seat lol Ride Free 🙂

[@Motoreger]

I saw one at the technical museum in Sinsheim, Germany. A true masterpiece!

[@barebonesmc]

an early TTS i take it? truly great bikes

[@sallhame]

Love your videos.

[@barebonesmc]

thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@timhicks2154]

What a beast!

[@barebonesmc]

Sometimes they do just get it right lol 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@andrewdyson4255]

Great video, very interesting. Those bikes would frighten me to death.

[@barebonesmc]

i would love a ride on an early one, but the later ones were all a bit excessive to me, but you have to appreciate the engineering

[@smithgroove945]

Beautiful bikes. Thanks for sharing.

[@barebonesmc]

My pleasure mate, as hopefully you can tell :-)

[@chriswheatley7774]

Thanks . Great bike. 😊

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@parsonscarlson7984]

Very interesting video. I had no idea that Friedel Munch made so many different models. Back in the day (70s & 80s), Bob Hamilton of Motorcycles Unlimited in Hialeah, Florida had a Munch Mammoth in racing trim that he kept under a sheet in the back of his shop. He was a motocross and road-racer from the 60s and ran a motocross shop that catered to the European machines before the Japanese takeover of the sport. He eventually transferred the business to my brother and later, I went to work for John Long of Longevity Racing in Miami. While working for John, I got bit by the roadracing bug ( I had been bitten in my teens by the motocross bug, but had since quit racing for a few years) and long story short, John's friend Pogo bought Hamilton's Munch Mammoth. He and John built a rear-wheel rolling starter for it after we all wore ourselves out a few times trying to push-start the machine at Moroso Motorsports Park of West Palm Beach. I was told it had a French Peugeot motor in it, but that's all I knew. However, once started, it was LOUD with open megaphones and sounded great. Pogo only rode it in the old man's class as far as I remember and wasn't trying to compete with anyone. He just enjoyed having and showing the bike at the track, a machine that few knew about and less ever beheld. After I parted ways with Long's Cycle I never heard anymore about the Munch and have no idea what became of it.

[@barebonesmc]

Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. I know there is one collector in germany has A LOT 🙂 but who knows now, Ride Free 🙂

[@christiankuwetter7593]

coolest Bikes EVER!

[@barebonesmc]

were your favourites the early or later ones? 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@longislandhillbilly4780]

Thanks! Great video!

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. hope youll climb aboard. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@EnigmaWector]

Thankyou learnd alot from this vidio .

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. hope youll climb aboard. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@pkjmfineart1593]

Get a government grant to "revive a mammoth" and ride up on one of Friedels masterpieces! 😂 Superb video thank you.

[@barebonesmc]

lol, glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. hope youll climb aboard. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@kenbrooks7794]

Super interesting, thanks!

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂

[@djowen5192]

A true legend.

[@barebonesmc]

some names will never die 🙂

[@MARGATEorcMAULER]

What a beast!👍

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. hope youll climb aboard. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@MARGATEorcMAULER]

@@barebonesmc 👍Cemoto!

[@barebonesmc]

@@MARGATEorcMAULER 😊👌👍

[@MARGATEorcMAULER]

@@barebonesmc ❤️

[@Tubesmaney]

Thanks again for another great video. It’s obvious you work hard on the and it shows! Cheers. So was his last bike, the one built in 2000 the Mamut? What an unbelievable bike. Would love to take on a group ride and watch everyone’s jaw hit the floor!

[@barebonesmc]

yes, the Mammut 2000 was the last bike he designed, i think i still prefer the original twin headlamp TTS 1000 and 1200 :-) but thats me :-) i think it would make as many jaws drop :-) cheers for watching mate, have a great week

[@Screamingdeathcult]

Great vid

[@barebonesmc]

🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. what were your favourite bits? Ride Free 🙂

[@lesklower7281]

In the 1970s l did see a Munch at the Easter weekend motorcycle racing the Munch was just parked and another comment mentioned there were four Munches in Australia one ended up at a Motorcycle museum in Queensland and l knew the first ones used the NSU Princess engine and don't forget the Suzuki Hyabussa came along in 1999 and is still available and the first generation was unrestricted

[@barebonesmc]

the Busa is here kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHPFlHyXd6aZZsU

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

There’s a pair of brothers in Denmark who buildt their own “Mammut” as they simply couldn’t afford the real thing. Fortunately enough, they had their own motorcycle shop “Skjern MC”, so it was fairly easy for them to build it. Sort of 😅

[@barebonesmc]

i foud a site and fb page but all sport bikes, have you got any pics? send me a link or you can send pics here barebonesmc.com/contact-us/

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

@@barebonesmc I will see what I can do.

[@adriantorres3221]

Thank you very much for this video. That was a fantastic video. I think those motorcycles are some of the most beautiful ever made but I never heard of the Titan. That’s pretty amazing. It’s really sad that the company shut down. I do believe the name is involved with KTM, but not the same unfortunatelysuch beautiful machines won the lottery. I’d be hunting one of those down.❤

[@barebonesmc]

glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel. hope youll climb aboard. Friedel Munch has died now so has no connection with KTM, and im pretty sure he never did. but i have been wrong before lol Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

[@diggy-d8w]

If you hadn't shown this I might have never heard of it? Doubt I'd ever come across one in the States but now that I've seen it I'll know on that off chance I do see one. If I do I think I'll try to get it b/c someone would want it. People collect & throw stuff in barns just waiting for the discovery, we used to own an Antique & Restoration Company so we went out finding things. One of the greatest was a Hall Tree from a large Hotel but it was in boxes. It took us 4 months to build & it was almost 14 feet high by 9 foot wide & 3 1/2 feet thick(wall to front edge). The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC wanted us to donate it to them but we kept it & sold it later. When we were out in these places I passed up a number of old cars/bikes & machines. No telling what I let go by me & I could afford to buy stuff back then..... go figure, today I struggle on the dream of riding a motorcycle again before I die.... trying to make it happen & you are part of my driving force. Thanks for that, peace

[@barebonesmc]

hows it going mate? ive been getting a bit behind with the comments now YT has let me out of YT jail lol

[@diggy-d8w]

No, I wasn't aware they'd done anything but heck, they shadow banned me for some of the things I've said & the scary thing is it was all true. I could lie & they'd welcome me but make a comment about something that affects us all & they run roughshod over you. I'm sorry to hear it & it's the biggest reason I never tried to do a channel. I knew they'd kill anything I ever did or just take any money I made until I got nothing..... better that I didn't get going & they come in and delete entire channels, of of someone's work just GONE w/o warning. No thank you! But I was wondering if you were alright? Glad you made it back !

[@henrydegan6204]

I never did understand as a boy that my mom didn't buy such a bike. Hey, in the end it was just her and me, she had the license for riding bikes and a münch cost only 2 years wages of her job as factory worker.... Meanwhile, some 50+ years later, I ride what I call the "modern" interpretation of the Münch, a VMax1700. Anyway, it is clear to see where Honda got their idea for the 750 from. Seen from that, Münch holds lots of credits that modern bikes still exists. By the late 60s, bikes were for poor man's only. It was the CB750 (inspired by the Münch) who made bikes desirable again.

[@barebonesmc]

A good point well put mate, and yep, they werent cheap, but...... 🙂Cheers for the comment. Ride Free 🙂

[@Bok2022st]

👋 you keep finding these bikes I've never heard of what an awesome example as always, and a great learning experience absolute beast of a creation love it.💯👍

[@barebonesmc]

Glad you enjoyed it mate, hope all is well, did you get light sorted?

[@barebonesmc]

@@Bok2022st damn , and to be honest, i dont ever remember a reg rec on a Vstrom 650 ever going. or why that would affect the neutral light. the only other thing that sometimes causes issues in the light cct oddly enough is the starter switch, but a rubber is all it usually takes, again it is because of the shunt cct that cuts power to the headlights when u hit the starter button, message me on the website and ill send you my personal email, lets see if we can figure it out somehow if they dont. fingers crossed

[@barebonesmc]

@@Bok2022st just so you know, some of the comments arent coming through again, but some are, so youtube still being silly. It does sound like the mechanic is making a meal of it, not come across a neutral light issue before, do you want me to do some digging?

[@barebonesmc]

@@Bok2022st damn, why do people mess with what they dont need to !!!!!!! if its been hacked about then it becomes a bit of a guessing game, only reason i can think is if he added some bits and needed an aux supply? but if he knew the strom he would know the easiest way to do that is to T off the brake brake light feed near the shock so any power draw is cut when the starter needs the power

[@barebonesmc]

@@Bok2022st damn, thats outrageous, i dont think id be going back to that shop in a hurry, are there any others near you? finding decent and honest mechanics does just seem to be getting harder and harder

[@rogerthedodger5788]

And @ 8:30 he developed the first motorcycle horn that wasnt a complete joke.

[@barebonesmc]

PMSL lol, I have a man who makes me a newer version of the old FIAM snail horns if you are interested 🙂 they come as a pair and are tuned slightly differently so it literally sounds like a train is coming when you hit them 🙂

[@AndrewSinclair-bk9ho]

What about the URS ? Surely a more innovative design by Munch1

[@barebonesmc]

the easy answer is because I know a lot more about the Mammut, but looks interesting, what was it that was particularly innovative? I notice Helmut Fath was involved :-)

[@chrisweeks6973]

@@barebonesmc Helmut Fath? Now there's a name from the past! With him, Florian Camathias and Fritz Schidegger, outfit-racing - particularly at the IoM TT's - were a blast! Sadly, all long gone.

[@barebonesmc]

@@chrisweeks6973 dont forget Mac Hobson, later i know, but when it comes to the chairs, he should always be remembered. he would have been world champion if it wasnt for that sad day on the island

[@chrisweeks6973]

@@barebonesmc Yes, Mac Hobson & Kenny Birch were a great team. Four-time Swiss Champion Ernst Trachsel also died in the same race. The Island can be brutal.

[@barebonesmc]

@@chrisweeks6973 the stupid thing being they had seen it, raised the problem with the ACU and Vernon Cooper thought painting a line on the road to warn people the manhole cover was dangerous was enough of a solution

[@jpsholland]

Sadly i only know this bike from pictures and this video. I never saw one in real, let alone having a chance to actually ride one.

[@barebonesmc]

the pin up of many a teenage bedroom wall 🙂

[@Scooterdude01]

My mom's name was Friedel from Hagen Germany

[@barebonesmc]

didnt realise it was a gender neutral name :-) you learn something every day :-) cheers

[@Scooterdude01]

@@barebonesmc That's why I mentioned it, never heard a man called Friedel.

[@barebonesmc]

@@Scooterdude01 we both learned something then lol

[@rover100bunson]

You wont need mirrors where we,re going

[@barebonesmc]

anything behind is irrelevent lol it cant catch up

[@wolfdog7265]

They did come away from the comfy old heavyweight thug boat with that 2000 design because it doesn’t look very comfortable. It looks like it’s going to eat you for breakfast. More like: Turn the handle and hold on with all fours for your life. White knuckles, white face and eyes like diner plates.

[@barebonesmc]

teeth gritted too lol

[@wolfdog7265]

@@barebonesmc 😂 you bet!

[@carsyoungtimerfreak1149]

I am from the era when the original Mammut was first introduced. I rode a Yamaha YDS5E at the time and actually did know a guy who owned one. I also owned a NSU 1000, the car that donated its engine to the Mammut (I'm from Europe). Everyone considered it a very heavy bike at the time. Around 300 kg is nothing special for a big tourer these days and a Wing is even heavier. It was a masterpiece of engineering. Real Teutonic styling which did not make it attractive to look at. At the price it had, it never would be competitive. If you had the money and wanted a big tourer in those days a V7 Special or a R75/5 was probably a better choice. I do not care for the later Mammuts, totally overdone and utter useless in my view.

[@barebonesmc]

Id agree on the later ones, even the Titan series to be honest, but the early ones are proper brutalist art at its best i would say :-) Are you the guy who posted the pic of the car on facebook?

[@Emily-ou6lq]

*pronounced "Munsh"

[@barebonesmc]

i always pronounced it Munch, but i have a friend from Wurzberg who pronounces it Munck and told me off lol , so i will stick with the local version :-) but honestly, i have no idea beyond that

[@Emily-ou6lq]

@@barebonesmc Ask him how he pronounces "München" (Munich). By his logic it should be "Munken" then.....

[@barebonesmc]

@@Emily-ou6lq lol, a fair point 🙂 language and pronunciation are rarely logical though 🙂 but i will (when im ready for the lecture i know ill get lol)

[@Emily-ou6lq]

@@barebonesmc LOL while you're at it, ask him what a "Hinterwäldner" is. Hinterwäldner tend to have these weird accents.

[@barebonesmc]

@@Emily-ou6lq ahh. That may explain a bit then 🤣🤣🤣 the deeper we got into Thuringia the harder I found it to understand anyone 🤣🤣 being of mixed Yorkshire heritage I’m probably one too 🤣🤣🤣

[@deltabluesdavidraye]

Uuuggggllllyyy

[@barebonesmc]

I love the brutalist style of the early ones, not so keen on the Titan or later Mammut 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@jackwood2328]

Thank you for the images of something I never personally saw. What hideous, heath-robinson death traps! The price of exclusivity is always hilarity, I'm sorry to say. Oh deary me!

[@barebonesmc]

thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too mate. Ride Free 🙂

[@jackwood2328]

Thank you for your patience, my brother. I did hear of the Munch back then as some sort of phenomenon, but you cleared the decades of fog surrounding it. Muchas gracias.

[@barebonesmc]

@@jackwood2328 denada amigo 🙂

[@prplno1]

Nice engineering work ,impressive stats ,ugly as F though unfortunately Not a production bike in terms of #’s really

[@barebonesmc]

not the later ones, but the early TTS does have a brutalist style all of its own and i can appreciate that :-) not pretty, but pretty brutal lol

[@Keith-hc9js]

Any chance of a gear drive fuel injection prototype built from late 1970-1990 you guys not that far from country France or Avondale Austria

[@barebonesmc]

it was mechanical fuel injection

[@Keith-hc9js]

Wouldent day art but are very nice engineering achievements

[@barebonesmc]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It's fascinating how engineering can blend functionality with aesthetics.

[@Keith-hc9js]

Had few patent pending through valintin Hollister United States of America riped off some projects scraped because of espionage patent pending hijackers

[@barebonesmc]

who did?

[@Keith-hc9js]

Are no such thing as over engineered parts built fore mates

[@barebonesmc]

sorry dont think that translated properly

[@Keith-hc9js]

Right personal experience nothing is impossible brain are a electronic system in sealf no I in team happy hear hundred three try some new out of body experience extended time take easy though had since back in late 1970 era probably other systems similar ours were aircraft integrated systems got fined because of other jerk idiots

[@barebonesmc]

sorry dont think that translated properly

[@Keith-hc9js]

Incident in France was worse than happenstance in Dracula by way a country of thers plad Vlad actually was also caused by outside none educational electrical tampering marsippilo was quite briter than most but only until isolater rerouted and few other changes than huby becomes sister etc aka terminology of Communist.kinda frowned on since before Spanish American war keep in mind America control freaks think halve allowability over others aka also communism mine stayed in my aircraft kinda useless if wasent in aircraft.

[@barebonesmc]

sorry dont think that translated properly