Weird Motorcycle Features that no longer exist

Today we're looking at 8 weird motorcycle features that no longer exist. From engines mounted to the front wheel, to single sided front forks. Enjoy!
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#motorcycle

[@tnetroP]

The Vespa has single sided front suspension.

[@tenders]

Yup, and has since the 1940s. Descended from Piaggio's line of aircraft designs.

[@chumbawaumbacumpa]

Yamaha GTS1000 as well.

[@ashleysmith3106]

@@chumbawaumbacumpa Different principal - hub steering quote "It is notable for its forkless front suspension"

[@SteveSmith-wk9dx]

The 'wheel engine' on the Megola is derived from rotary aircraft engines of the era. They are even weirder than the first impression suggests. The cylinders and other components we normally think of as standing still rotate around the crankshaft, which remains stationary. At the time of production, they had several advantages: good power-to-weight ratio, smooth operation with a large rotating mass acting as a flywheel, and great air cooling because even if the bike wasn't moving, the cylinders were spinning! Downsides? Well, a relatively large spinning mass gives you some weird gyroscopic effects which can be bad on a plane but terrifying on a bike where the bulk of the mass is the spinning engine. And, as far as I know, this kind of engine required required total-loss lubrication.

[@tank-eleven]

is there a clutch somewhere?

[@finnishnobody1214]

I highly doubt the total loss lubrication. I have never seen a radial engine close though, but I don't see any way for it to work because of how large the oil tank would have to be. Im a car mechanic so I know something about engines in general.

[@liamwedlake9820]

@@finnishnobody1214 they were total loss, castor oil at a low mix ratio, blended with the petrol drawn into the crankshaft through the carb. Imagine a 2 stroke crankcase and lubrication principles but has a valve, or two. The early Gnome Rotary's were a single valve engine, exhaust valve only. Well worth a bit of googling/youtubing.

[@reachandler3655]

I believe you'll find the only way to stop the vehicle is to turn the engine off.

[@drazenradosevic7467]

@@tank-eleven No, there was no clutch, just a 6:1 reduction gear and, according to the user manual, riders were supposed to run in circles while waiting for the traffic to clear

[@crichard]

My favorite part about the Imme is that the single swing arm is also the exhaust pipe. So if your exhaust rusts out, your rear wheel also falls off.

[@Velktron]

The Peraves Monotracer's "training wheels" are actually hydraulically retractable, much like aircraft's landing gear. They are automatically deployed at low speeds, and a section of the wheels always protrudes from each side of the fuselage even when retracted, in case of a stall. Necessary, when the bike is truly fully enclosed and weighs more than 500kg.

[@davidpearson4340]

On the subject of enclosed bikes you missed the most obvious one the bmw c1 that one was mass produced and actually affordable but ultimately discontinued

[@lau5067]

I have one of these and they are fantastic. Yes, it looks a bit odd, and the steering takes a bit of time getting used to due to the high center of mass, but not having to wear a helmet and the extremely largy topcase... oh my, it might just be the perfect city scooter.

[@plusfastvn]

Two things you mentioned, the real seat on a bike and the almost full enclosure, can be found together on the BMW C1 scooter, which by now is also discontinued...

[@azharazmi4605]

Single sided front fork had been used in Vespa since it was invented.

[@mephistovonfaust]

Vespas are scooters, not motorcycles so the single fork belongs in this video imo.

[@DownhillAllTheWay]

Another quirky thing I had on a bike, was on my Bridgestone 175cc twin 2-stroke. There was a lever on the side of the gearbox that converted it from a 4-speed rotary boxs (N-1-2-3-4-N, or N-4-3-2-1-N) into a 5-speed in-line box (N-1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1-N). The lever moved with almost no force, and the rotary box was useful for driving between traffic lights in town, and the in-line gave an extra gear. The lever could be moved even if the bike was in fifth gear, then you could change from 5th down to 4th, and 'up' to neutral. I liked it a lot. Bridgestone also made a bigger bike with the same feature - a 350cc. Both bikes were super-performance twin-cylinder 2-strokes. I wanted a 350, but couldn't afford it (21 years old, first job!) Instead of piston induction as found on most 2-strokes, they had a twin rotating disc valving mechanism. A bit more complicated, but they had huge performance.

[@siggyunsichtbar6980]

I kinda want manufacturers to bring this back. Never heard if it before but seem like a genius invention.

[@carmatic]

in regards to dual fuel tanks I think this can have some utility nowadays, with advanced engines which can run on multiple fuel types For example, one tank can hold regular diesel for starting the engine, and the other holds used cooking oil for once the engine has warmed up

[@MrTerrymiff]

3:21 Duel fuel tanks!! Do they take ten paces, turn and then fire at each other?

[@jezztech]

Piaggio had single sided front suspension with the Vespa.

[@raizopopo3159]

I think vespa has monoshock forearm

[@zam55555]

The monoracer design is used alot in Europe, those landing gear or "training wheels " as you called them retract after 3 miles per hour. It allows for a fully enclosed shell keeping the rider dry and warm.

[@picktreebrag]

The training wheels on the mono racer are actually “landing gears “. They only come down while it’s stopped or at slow speeds. When you’re actually driving, they fold up into the sides.

[@Gringo_In_Chile]

The 1981 bond classic, "For Your Eyes Only" had a bike didn't have skis, but was snow and villain ready (or are they henchman?) with spiked motorcycles tires and machine guns for turn signals.

[@lalruatsanga9747]

you have a great content ... you deserve more recognition...

[@observingrogue7652]

The chair seat reminds me of the rear support on the Kawasaki H2. Christini Motorcycles also make AWD bikes. And not only are there electric cars with motors attached directly to the wheels, or built in the wheels. But their are e-bikes, e-bike kits, Electric Car kits, and some Electric motorcycles with hub-motors. A lot of unsprung weight, but low maintenance, because there's no chain, belt, or transmission to worry about, just bearings.

[@claytonknight3078]

Awesome video!!

[@kitsunepalmer5129]

When you love the channel but are painfully reminded it is KZbin

[@henkjeoma8069]

The single sided forks are pretty common on Piaggio's. There the thing to have a lot of scooters that don't have them standard they are modded onto.

[@TheGearhead222]

That swing arm thingy on the Imme is a fork dampener, and was quite common on motorbikes for years. Sadly, the engine on this bike had a poorly designed crankshaft, and the excessive warranty repairs killed the company-John in Texas

[@gtada]

Yamaha GTS1000, Gilera CX125, and Italjet Dragster all had single-sided front suspension.

[@mephistovonfaust]

From what I gathered from the diagram of the duplex steering the main difference to a stiff rotary steering axis (I made that name up but I mean the standard steering on motorcycles) is that the center of the wheel is shifted. That means through centrifugal and centripetal forces the wheel will be forced back into the straightened position due to the bike pushing the wheel along the vector the rest of the bike is traveling along. I'm not too sure what practical effect this has other than maybe making it more stable at higher speeds but I don't think it makes too much of a differences. I didn't do the maths but that's just what my four semesters of physics at a University made me think intuitively.

[@ducksharkings]

I never thought that the dual tanks on my Harley were an oddity. I'm still riding my shovelhead from 1980. Don't the new Harleys have the same tank setup? To refuel, you start on the low side (left) and then fill the high side (right). It is faster than if it was one big tank with a small connection between tanks. S~

[@pickoftheglitter]

The 1984/1985 Aprilia Tuareg Rally 125 cc and 250 cc (both 2 strokes enduro with a powerful Rotax engine of respectively 33 and 45 HP) had a double, huge tank. One side (I mean: one tank) can be opened like a door to access the top engine, IIRC. It was kept closed with a rubber strap on the top to the two tanks.

[@MotoTvWoodsFarm]

in Asia where I am you see hand built bikes with these features that don't exist, they do here, the bikes are typically handmade, home built motorbikes and they often look at first glance some vintage motorcycle from history, but on closer inspection you will a collection of parts that have these feature you show in this movie. The level and skill these are built to is very high they would not look out of place in a museum

[@CZ350tuner]

The motorcycle skis date back to the 1950's with the Jawa 250-590, built to Swedish Army specifications. These were phased out & replaced by the Huskavarna bikes,, in the 1990's, which were adapted to take the former JAWA 250-590 skis. The still serviceable Jawa bikes were sold off, to collectors globally and I know two people, in the UK, that own & occasionally ride these ski rigged bikes. The ski rigs retract, like aircraft under carriage, when on tarmac roads.

[@C64SX]

It was as early as 1968 when the army bought 1000 Husqvarna, Mc256, which could be equipped with skis just like the Jawas before it (Mc 255, 355, 257A, 356A... think that's all the Jawas (with a bit of Monark as well)). Then around 1980 the next Husqvarna model, Mc258, was delivered. Around 3000 of them. And again, skis were available. But the Jawa wasn't the first bike in the Swedish armed forces that could be equipped with skis. Mc501, or m/42 TV, was a Swedish Albin-Monark collaboration manufactured from around 1942. A bit over 3000 made, and skis were of course available.

[@magnuslundstedt2659]

The jawa bikes was sold of to everyone. I had a few friends in the eighties and nineties who had them. Both in the original green version and highly customized ones. When riding with the skies you have your foot on the skies. Therefore they had the rear brake side by side with the clutch handle on the left. The husqvarna bikes had clutchless transmission instead.

[@PortCharmers]

The Megola even had another feature we don't see any more: leaf-springs (particularly weird on the rear axle). I just imagine a Megola styled bike with modern electric propulsion. About the duelling tanks: Apparently some had fuel in one tank, oil in the other (Harley WLA for instance), some of the early Indians had two compartments in one half, fuel only in the other. If you have a look at the picture at 4:30, you see that the tanks on these bikes sit very low, so the usual saddle-type tank would probably not work so well. Why do they sit so low? Don't know, maybe beer-gut-ergonomy.

[@stacysedgewood9600]

Still better than those chopper bikes! I rode one around the block once and told my friend who’d bought it that the springs needed to be adjusted. He replied “What springs?” Good grief, there wasn’t even a spring on the seat! You felt every bump!

[@seadog686]

Low-slung fuel tank gives you a lower center of gravity - a very desirable characteristic in a motorcycle!

[@oiscustomlife1741]

On old Harleys you actually have 3 caps on the tank 2 on the right side for oil and one on the left side for gas

[@mjordan812]

Almost correct. Oil tank on the right front with a hand pump (total loss oiling system). The rear section of the right tank and the entire left tank were for gasoline. Note that the right and left tanks were totally separate and bolted to the frame's top tube. My first bike was a 1933 Harley VL and this is how it was set up.

[@zibingotaeam3716]

Huskvarnas motorcycles with skis are far more versatile than snowmobiles. The idea is for you to stand on these skis instead of on the pegs, enabling you to keep your balance while the bike may slide away from under you. Sweden's Police and Army used these to great effect for a very long time.

[@seadog686]

If you think the Honda DN01 is ugly, the styling of all of the current "rice rockets" has got to be really atrocious to your eye. I personally like its fairing styling over the current Goldwings fairings! (Also, it appears to be more functional.)

[@cenchloraadums3143]

Yeah, he wouldn't say it ' horrifyingly ugly ' if it was made by Triumph or MV Agusta. Lol

[@DannyalSafdar]

The mangola had a "radial" engine and not a "rotary" engine. Great content though keep it up

[@PortCharmers]

Yes, it is a radial engine, but since the motor-block rotates, it is called a rotary.

[@DannyalSafdar]

@@PortCharmers I stand corrected 🙂

[@henrya3530]

Enclosed chain drive. All the advantages of chain and shaft drive with none of the disadvantages. Really wish this was still a thing today! Front sprocket concentric with swinging arm pivot - Hesketh motorcycles. Having the front sprocket of the chain drive concentric with the pivot point of the swinging arm for the rear wheel makes sense from an engineering standpoint. Hesketh were the only motorcycles that had this feature that I know of. Hub-centre steering - e.g. Yamaha GTS1000. Flip up headlight - Suzuki GSX750S3 Katana. It was cool as f*ck when it came out in 1984 and it's still cool as f*ck today! Neutral finder - Albion gearbox. Commonly used on Royal Enfield motorcycles. Whatever gear you are in (other than 1st) just hit the Neutral Finder to reset the gearbox to neutral.

[@stephenlewis9550]

I do believe that military Husky with the ski's , also had an automatic transmission. It was more of a springs and centrifugal regulator thing though.

[@ReizePrimus]

Single sided front forks actually still do exist, though not on motorcycles but on Mountain Bikes nowadays.

[@icebergpreservation5164]

yamaha niken is technically single sided front forks for each front wheel

[@pl1068]

The Honda ELF motorcycle from 1981 - 1983 had single sided front and rear suspension.

[@pascalkargut3237]

Nice vid

[@aGentleUser]

The Honda Vultus has a chair like seat! There was also the BMW c1 The DN01 looks cool, it is just quite inefficient. The single swing motorcycle looks weird, it seems to defeat gravity, even the engine looks like floating

[@cesarmarquez7120]

2:38 colonel sanders telling us about the forearm suspension

[@ajwasp3642]

Chair seat? Check out a Wilkinson. You didn't mention that the Imme R100's rear swing arm was also the exhaust.

[@bluevalkyrie2517]

3:00 YAMAHA 1993 GTS1000.

[@pdxgearcon]

Dual fuel tanks. DuAl. They're supplying your gas, not meeting on the field of honor with rapiers at first light.

[@markiskool]

About the bike on skis, my local sport bike dealer had a bike with a sort-of tank track kit in place of the rear wheel and a ski in place of the front wheel. I want one!

[@magnuslundstedt2659]

They are realy poor in the snow.

[@Patrick.Weightman]

3:22 *DUAL*

[@DownhillAllTheWay]

That bike with the chair seat (1:03) also had a leaf spring rrear suspension.

[@nandu1770]

Exactly

[@PhillipBicknell]

Am I misremembering? Wasn't there a Bond film with ski-equipped bikes?

[@Gringo_In_Chile]

"Am I misremembering?" - Well Phillip, the answer is yes and no. The film was the 1981 bond classic, "For Your Eyes Only." The bike did not have skis, but it was snow and villain ready (or are they henchman?) with spiked motorcycles tires and machine guns turn signals.

[@andrewcarroll1867]

I had an ex L.A.P.D. Moto Guzzi V1000 Convert that had a 2 speed (Hi & Low) automatic transmission to go with the interconnected (Front/Rear) braking system!

[@uthrus]

I may probably be the only guy on the planet who thinks the Honda DN-01 is a cool looking motorcycle. The pillion seat also served as a backrest. I guess this is just one of the many ways that I'm a freak-boy!

[@CamTarn]

I like it as well. I'll join you in the freak corner ;)

[@mattsypersma6418]

They're not cheap to buy for a supposed failure release. I think they're cool. My friend at the shop says they translate to DN-01: Do Not Order 1.

[@stelleratorsuprise8185]

The Imme by Riedel ha a single sided fork for reduction of parts, the crankshaft was also single sided and the engine was mounted to the single sided rear swing that also acted as exhaust. This motorcycle was designed for a market where price is king. The person who constructed it was the same who designed the starter engine used in the Me262 fighter, it was a small and compact 2-stroke boxer engine.

[@CelloLinuxFellow]

Cannondale has their Lefty single-sided fork on bicycles.

[@davidrochow9382]

1982 Honda VF 750 Magna had 2 petrol tanks, A main tank ( 10 litres ) and a reserve tank (4 litres)under the (sitting on the bike ) left hand side cover which worked from a fuel pump.

[@aal9207]

U forgot neracar motorcycle of 1910s and 20s

[@crazytrain7114]

The "training wheels" retracted at 3mph

[@lulalurch]

Hey, nice video. I saw an Megola in an museum. this bike really caught my attention. I also saw an 2005 bimota tesi 2D. The steering on this biks iyt really weird. It also is treet legal inngermany i think. it would be cool to see an vido about this becaus i cant find much 8nformation about this bike. In that museum there were a lot of unusual bikes. like the moto major 350 or the Krupp Motorläufer. ( This was a german museum because i'm from germany)

[@MrHugemoth]

Vespa has had single sided swingarm both front and rear since the 1940s.

[@abdussamiali2166]

Single sided front forks can be found on Vespas

[@bupekaonga]

The Yamaha GTS1000 also had a single sided front fork as well a centrehub steering, but it was in the 90's

[@merlemorrison482]

I remember back in the 60s you could get a snowmobile kit. It put a ski on the front wheel. You removed the back tire and put on a kind of snowmobile track.

[@magnuslundstedt2659]

You can still get those.

[@Team-fabulous]

Chair seats.. Hhmm. Most large scooters have a very similar seat these days.. The yamaha 535 virago has two tanks, one up top and an underseat tank

[@JuanMoraMusic10]

Some big KTM Adventure have 2 fuel caps, but they are for the same tank

[@shazzadauncon3682]

The first red bike reminds me of Kaneda's bike from Akira.

[@Patrick.Weightman]

I always liked how the Quasar looked. It looks like something out of a Lego world

[@arm279145]

Can’t talk about awd motorcycles cause they still exist. Damn you rokon! 🤣🤣🤣

[@allcapsallthetime1907]

THE MEGOLA LOOKS A LOT LIKE A SCOOTER

[@joseabuin9113]

Great content just discovered your channel!

[@firebird77clonefirebird89]

split fuel tanks: the caps screw in different directions to prevent the caps from coming off in an accident, when sliding against the pavement.

[@moushunter]

There was a company in the 60s and 70s that was selling a bolt on ski for motorcycles. Sears might have had that as a catalog item at the time. It bolted to the front axle. I saw some bikes with them with the wheel removed and a few with the wheel still on with the ski under it. I saw a home made version one time that replaced the ski with 2 ice skate blades. The rider had put sharpened stove bolts in the rear tire and was riding flat track style on a frozen lake. He had the bike laid down into powerslides just like the flat track bikes do. I only saw him dump it twice. I don't think I'd want to share a track with a bunch of bikes riding like that in a race.

[@sqike001ton]

The enclosed motorcycle thing is 100% about taxes and licensing in some European countries it's easier to obtain a motorcycle's license and the taxing is easier so if you can make something he gets car like ride but is still classified as a motorcycle you're good to go IE the reliant Robin the British top gear made fun of all the time I believe it was classified as a motorcycle and therefore was taxed and licensed as a motorcycle

[@FredricF]

The Husqvarna with skies was a model developed for the Swedish military called Husqvarna 258 and it had automatic transmission. The idea was that in the future (back in the 1970-ies) normal soldiers would not be able to ride motorcycles and an automatic transmission would make it easier. The automatic transmission will also come in handy when you add skies to the bike since you have to keep your feet on the skies. As a side note, there was another Swedish company, Hägglunds, that also competed for this military order that actually looked like they would win. Their bike had a singe-side front fork. I believe they ultimately failed due to huge quality problems, but I am not sure why they failed.

[@stevefirth6472]

How about Rokons with a snowmobile transmission. These were actually effective enough to medal in the ISDT, When they accelerated (and they were pretty fast for a dirt bike), the RPMs barely changed. That could have led to designing a power/torque curve that was always close to the ideal RPM.

[@guillaumetsogbe-hamel2145]

You should do a vid avout supermotos!

[@LeRiderOP]

I do dig the civic design motorcycle.. Looks dope, not sure about the price though.

[@mjordan812]

Monotracer - more landing gear than training wheels. They lowered when you stopped and retracted once you started going. Pretty obvious, since you can't put your feet down.

[@oiscustomlife1741]

My first bike was that way two gas tanks it was a 1998 hd softail

[@peacebewu]

Vespa still makes single front fork I think

[@butchhuebsch3445]

How about a link to the footage you ripped off?? Have you ever ridden a bike?

[@dannyhl2]

Well Vespa is also single sided forearm....

[@666t]

Harley's WLA WWll bike had 3 compartments in 2 tanks, the right fuel tank had 2 caps, the front one was for oil the other was petrol, the left tank was just fuel

[@nolfavrell4244]

bit late, but theres two wheel drive bikes. i know of christini (they even make two wheel drive bicycles)

[@DUBMANS]

My 21 slim has a dummy fuel cap on the left side.

[@andyp5899]

The Qasar was/is very safe

[@traktorballe]

When I was in the army 1987-88 i northern Sweden the Husqvarna 258(number 2 on your list) was my main transportation. It had automatic transmission and two handbrakes so you could always have your feet on the skis. You could basically go flat out everywhere on the snowy roads. If you started sliding you would eventually reach the snowberms and just keep going with full throttle. Incredibly fun but cold. There was another Swedish prototype for a military motorcycle with a single sided fork and swingarm called ”Motorcykel 358” made by Hagglunds, another Swedish company. They dtiched the single sided fork and the army sent for Husqvarna so only a few were ever made.

[@antonio7334]

thats so cool, thanks for sharing that!

[@trey1531]

some scooters have single sided front arms

[@safetyst3ve23]

They have snow bikes it’s a dirtbike with a track rear and a ski on the front

[@richoney5489]

Wheel engine... freaking Whengine.... obviously.... lol

[@butchhuebsch3445]

Honda made an automatic transmission motorcycle in the 80s. nice homework

[@leostgeorge2080]

lets just say i was disappointed and leave it at that. Wish the best of luck in the future

[@isaaczaman]

Dude look up the cm400A by far the cooler fluid driven automatic

[@mlarson]

My Harley sportster from 97 has dual tanks

[@dickmartn]

Harley had two tanks because one side (left) was for oil and the right which was larger was gasoline.

[@jakeford2301]

What about the diesel KLR 650?

[@primalmachine9059]

"Oil tank"... painful joke

[@opticalecho119]

Just imagining what a FWD bike would feel like makes me uncomfortable

[@geoffreytudor5674]

I'm getting a feel for the lines your interest follows, but the subject of electric MCs s something I only rarely see addressed. Do you think there'll be two wheeled Teslas in our future?

[@skeetersaurus6249]

There is NO DEBATE about the 'dual tank' (Harley and Indian)...if you look at the Harley 1930's UMG or WLA/WLC models, you will see that there are 3-caps, not 2. Same with Indian, dating back to 1925. The LEFT tank is SOLELY your 'primary' tank. The RIGHT tank forward cap is your engine oil reservoir, and the aft rear tank cap is your RESERVE fuel. This was done, prior to Harley learning how to 'pressurize' the crankcase (primitive 'oil pump') to return the wet-sump oil back to the 'top' side...you had a 'loss oil system' prior, where you poured oil in, it oiled the engine components, and then poured into the bottom...until lost past the rings. Fill your gas, check your oil, kinda-thing. It was NOT a 2-cycle engine, merely a 'loss-type' system. With the advent of pressurized crankcases, oil was 'pushed' back up and recycled within the engine. Eventually, mechanical oil pumps came along...but the 'old style' tanks were popular. Harley in particular, kept the 'split tank' design (2-tanks divided at the tunnel) until the 1970's...the shovelhead tank is a great example...but the oil reserve had been moved to under the seat at that point. Basic rule, if the tank is ACTUALLY 2-tanks, both caps DO OPEN (as with the 1970 shovelhead), but if it wasn't really a true '2-tank' mechanical feature (1980 Superglide)...the left cap is merely aesthetic...IF SOMEONE HASN'T MODIFIED IT, with a functioning filler neck. Bottom line: 3-caps, all open. Old Harley's and Indians, 2-caps, both open, newer (after 1980 or so, without modification) only right cap opens (Indian dropped the dual cap feature in production...at least until 2022...but I have seen a couple Indian Roadmasters that have dual caps, so I have no idea if they are both functional or only one is.

[@stevenhess5528]

Split tanks lower the center of gravity. Big dam bike you want low

[@bliblablubb0712]

What‘s the point of dual tank?

[@ulisespedraza6361]

Dual fuel tanks. Dual. How difficult is it to use the appropriate words for your video?

[@michaelkonig5576]

Dual tank is still available. Look at Huscvarna 701 Enduro LR. It has a rear and front tank. A few years ago rallye bikes had a left and a right tank.