WWII German Army Kettenkrad Meticulously Restored

John Landstrom from Blue Moon Cycle talks about a magnificently restored SdKfz 2 Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101. The "Kettenkrad" as it was called was used during world war 2 and this model is an example of the desert color scheme.
Blue Moon Cycle
www.bluemooncycle.com
[phone] extension 20
752 W Peachtree St, Norcross, GA 30071
[e-mail]

[@Snorlagg]

Half-Motorcycle, Half-Tank, it's the manliest damned vehicle ever!

[@DeputatKaktus]

For anyone curious: The writing at 5:28 says „The tracks are to be tensioned so that the upper section of the running track rests on the middle bogie wheels, but does not touch the first and the last bogie wheel.“

[@georgehorkan7205]

I was stationed in Germany from 12/77 till 12/79. Our supply room NCO had married a German woman, his residence was there, and he was a BIG collector of just about anything related to the WWII German Army (I use that term conclusively). He had a Kettenkrad. I was amazed and really wanted to take it home with me. I've never understood why he said, "No".

[@mikeb949]

I was also in Germany from 1977-1980, where were you stationed? I was in Grafenwohr 7ATC

[@georgehorkan7205]

I was at an ammo dump near Siegelsbach Germany in the Heilbronn District. We got to sit in towers 30 feet above ground and watch the rabbit's chase the deer. (small deer, big rabbits) @@mikeb949

[@SirDavidHaddon]

I would give almost anything to own that, Being Disabled Holding up a Big Harley, Indian is a task with my Back Injuries, I seen one with a six figure price tag, and most likely worth it. Dreams !!! Always loved these seeing pictures of them back in the 1950's !!!

[@Volksverhetz]

This is AWESOME German inventiveness! IMAGINE...A HALF-MOTORCYCLE, HALF-TANK!

[@bob14219]

that drum in the background is maddening

[@JackFlemingFan1]

Excellent job restoring your Kettenkrad!!

[@amazing7633]

For anyone wondering what it says at 5:28, a Google translation is "The chain is to be stretched so that the upper chain strand rests on the middle wheels, but the first and the last wheel is no longer touched."

[@redreaper-xe6so]

Uh, dude, the wheel does have an impact on the steering. The reason it has the front wheel is not because of the motorcycle troops. The front wheel steers alone up to 25 degrees of turning, and then the brakes kick in. This saves the track brakes, and extends the life of the vehicle's drivetrain immensely.

[@QueenKatz8]

Totally awesome vehicle! I've owned many motorcycles in my life but nothing as way cool as this. German ingenuity at its best. I want one!

[@toomanyaccounts]

sites.google.com/site/wwwtankcobiz/home/-kettenkrad-crawler-cargo-bikes seems there are people that build repros by hand. its the style but low end five versus six figures makes the repros a lot more afforabld

[@ur.master]

Шикарный агрегат!!! Жаль по ихнему не понимаю. Молодцы немцы!!!

[@TheGearhead222]

Amazing restoration work! Your mechanics are artists! John in Texas

[@oldsccaguyyah9901]

Waaaaay cool! I think I actually built Tamiya's 1/35th scale plastic kit when I was a teenager. I didn't know there were any *real* ones left until Hemmings threw one up on their blog the other day!

[@theotterguy]

Thanks for explaining the controls.I have been trying to figure out where the clutch and brake was for a while.

[@yourenotperfect.9493]

Who would've thought that a product of German engineering went to be associated with characters who dab?

[@adhninzul4388]

Captain Martin Walker hahahahaha. Girl's Last Tour confirm

[@mikayari185]

Least they didn't fight the Russians in winter

[@apo469]

This is a postwar kettenkrad - front tow hooks down, non-cushioned fork, and no side fenders (flat above tracks) still nice though.

[@BushwackerATV]

Excellent presentation!

[@KeramatZMode]

ugoku! ugoku!

[@devilred1971]

It's Missing the Swastika with the palm tree.

[@simongee8928]

Restorer of WW2 German militaries very rarely put swastikas on their work as it's still considered to be too sensitive a symbol.

[@rogerwhite9484]

@@simongee8928 Currently in Germany you mean . Anyvvhere else in the vvorld a restorer could do it as its just a restoration to original condition . As NSU kept making them until the 1950's it'd be interesting to knovv vvhat the factory vvould've painted these as they vvere marketed as Farm Tractors & BMVV kept making bikes vv/& vv/out sidecars ( though BMVV vvent back to traditional "Bavarian Black" paint )

[@toomanyaccounts]

@@rogerwhite9484 restorers don't put it on since a lot of german equipment didn't have it. unless the swastika was already untouched a lot of collectors consider the adding of a swastika on a restoration is forgery.

[@DeputatKaktus]

A lot of equipment of the Wehrmacht did not have a swastika painted on it. The Iron Cross was a lot more common in many units. That is not to say swastikas were never used, but it was less common than many think. Swastika flags were often used by the Wehrmacht in combined operations, though...as drapes that were placed on vehicles or buildings so the Luftwaffe did not accidentally bomb their own troops. Luftwaffe aircraft on the other hand, often had swastikas painted either on the wings or on the vertical stabilizers. There were regulations as to what emblems and designations were supposed to go on vehicles or other equipment and which weren’t. This is still true today...for instance, you would not find the official US seal painted on a combat vehicle like a tank.

[@mainemodelsplus.]

@@DeputatKaktus Everything you said is true; And in most cases the only time the swastika flag was used on ground vehicles was at the front lines so that air support knew where the front line was.

[@TheDutyPaid]

Shame some guy was on the drums as you was recording this.

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Thank you

[@thewrittenwyrdliterarytrus2585]

Just the thing for towing around your replica ME 262 jet like seen on the KZbin videos!

[@v8pilot]

I saw one in the Bovington tank museum (UK) decades ago.

[@JamesTingley222]

Great Looking Bike.

[@janviljoen7001]

It was used in the movie Saving Private Ryan, which was just awesome.

[@NeoRipshaft]

6:35 - that is very surprising acceleration lol, I was expecting it to be slow but steadfast. Also mandatory Chi and Yu shout-out.

[@kirksway1]

I am so glad that I saw this. I did not know that the front fork didn't steer.

[@shotforshot5983]

read some of the comments above yours, they explain it pretty well.

[@painmagnet1]

It does steer normally in slight angles. As you turn sharply, the differential brakes one side or the other.

[@ДанилаРахманин-м9г]

ПРОСТО СУПЕР СПАСИБО!!!

[@Wozza1534]

Excellent video I love these vehicles

[@The.Original.Potatocakes]

I really want one to drive around in the woods by my house.

[@redreaper-xe6so]

Track brakes are a pain in the ass to repair and they are expensive, and are a big part of maintenance for tracked vehicles. however, they're not needed much on road marches, which are the bulk of a vehicle's driving, only really on offroad, if you have wheels too. This is why teh Germans had halftracks instead of fully tracked carriers--the wheels greatly decreased vehicle wear.

[@aka99]

they should manufacture those again today!!

[@worldtraveler930]

They were built for many years after the war to be used by farmers. Something akin to a utility tractor and or gator.

[@paullehmann9502]

Das Voderrad ist zum überqueren vom Hindernissen enorm wichtig! Das ist der Hauptgrund warum dieses vorhanden ist, nicht weil es dadurch einfacher zu fahren ist!

[@rewrew897]

Turing hard enough activates I think either a clutch or break to help the treads steer

[@xvdd1]

Must be worth nearly 20 Reichmarks now.

[@billbright1755]

Nice work Georgia, highly intelligent gentle man there. 🌛

[@yeahwhatever1359]

Bill Bright. not particularly. he didn't understand that the front wheel/handlebars do in fact control the tracks and thus steering...

[@Bloodbound89]

my friend does have 3 of them ^^ 1 intact still with the old german numberplates with SS emblems and so on 1 he is restoring at the moment (needs to cover these if he wants to drive it out )

[@tonypate9174]

The time is now for Das Audi Auto to re-make this as the Q 0.5 Love and peace trike so the uber kool with a "K" hip trendy types can have them however for the necks of red will have to make a "auto" , As "stick" is a dark art and so "square" May make up for the A 2 "thing" when the team behind it taken out ze bunker and shot ?

[@poikaa3]

Since most tracked vehicles were steered by brakes, the Kettenrad must have a braking device with the forks but how did one streer with the forks removed? Nice job on the restoration!

[@bradleycampbell5933]

the forks are not mechanically linked. the tractor mechanism is based on a scaled down Cleveland Tractor design. very robust and dependable. uses opel 1600 cc four cylinder.

[@herschelmayo2727]

Nope. The front wheel was added to keep the vehicle from fishtailing at high speed, and traversing ditches, like the bumper roller on an M1 halftrack.

[@iramanhaider284]

Ohooo this is 4x4 wheel drive waaooo..great..👍

[@yeeter5694]

My dream vehicle

[@vincentsauer99]

sooo false about that theory of the front wheel the front wheel is there because of the steer breaks for the planetary gear! and the second reason is to control the seesaw !

[@lucystephens2155]

Vincent Sauer oll

[@longrider42]

Did they make a bigger version of that machine? I think I've seen one. Not sure

[@yetanotherjohn]

Come on! What did it sell for????

[@garyw.9528]

Jack Gamboa www.cycletrader.com/listing/1942-NSU-Kettenkrad-5008254953. It didn’t sell yet. I would but this instantly if I could afford it

[@skaters2007]

It’s the front light original...?

[@hhvictor2462]

The world's first SUV.

[@jpavlvs]

At a 120K a pop I wonder how difficult it would be to build one from scratch?

[@henryatkinson1479]

@Old Iron not close at all No steering brake, no reverse gear, tracks are shit, no suspension.

[@henryatkinson1479]

@Old Iron To someone who hasnt looked a real one over closely, I suppose it could pass as one. Im so picky about this as im currently reverse engineering one from patent documents and soviet documents on it to build a perfect replica.

[@rogerwhite9484]

NSU actually kept making them until the early 1950's ( 1953 I think ? ) for their Original purpose , vvhich vvas as a Farm Tractor . I really vvish somebody vvould begin manufacturing these again as they'd be both usefull on the farm & fun as a recreational vehicle . If they could make a model vvith a crusing speed of 55 mph or @ least make the 45 mph original version so that you could cruise @ that speed all day it'd be possible to drive around tovvn/city . I can see these selling in increasing #'s every year ( especially vv/upgrades & engine options ) vvorldvvide as a tractor that'dbe street legal vvould appeal to farmers vvorldvvide . Til then vve'll have to settle for Urals ( not a bad option either for a street/off road vehicle . I just personally vvouldn't vvant the Nazi paint job .

[@robbygee2539]

They do... Its a snow mobile.

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

"Nazi paint job"... ?? My Mom's Buick is the same color. Not looking forward to breaking the news to her. "Nazi paint job"... oh brother. 😒

[@leecrt967]

Is that the original engine?

[@jasonsmith1143]

more fun than a German/Italian cars

[@aljazskarlovnik6464]

It's COOL

[@boataxe4605]

I don’t know about street legal, my state has laws against tracked vehicles being driven on the roads.

[@aka99]

its not an amphibavehicle, but 10 too 20 cm water, it works. see in youtube Kettenkrad towing a BMW R 75 out of a river 2011-07-02

[@ivanivanof6130]

I'm always thinking to myself , what a great country would be today if didn't start ww2 and just continue it's progress! I am speaking of Germany .

[@ivanivanof6130]

@ghgg of course you are but imagine you didn't lose for example Verner Von Braun And thousands like him. I love German people for their wisdom and pray they all love people in every rice and color too.

[@douro20]

How hard was it to get parts for the engine?

[@leaomartinofaria1667]

Porque Alemanha não volta a fábricar denovo!

[@jpavlvs]

I wonder how much it would cost to build one from the ground up?

[@JoeKurr5]

jpavlvs u can buy on one tanksco for 21',000 that is good for a car

[@cptk3rk]

thats what i need for pulling my dads dead cars around the lot

[@douglasstrother6584]

D. A. K. = Deutsches Afrikakorps (German Africa Corps).

[@aka99]

but yeah, how much fuel does this great thing need per in 100 kilometers? 30 liter???

[@chumlywarner6891]

Please help me out,is it kettenrad or kettencrad as I have heard it called both??yours Chumly Warner Esq.

[@chriss2031]

Kettenrad. ketten=chains, rad=wheel or bycycle depending on context.

[@chumlywarner6891]

Thank for the clarification,much obliged ,yours Chumly Warner Esq.

[@cultusmechanicus8001]

wrong Ketten = Chains/Tracks KRAD = Military word for Kraftrad ->Motorcycle Kettenkrad = Trackedmotorcycle

[@charlivoo]

Does it work in water!!?!?

[@JoeKurr5]

charlivoo no

[@worldtraveler930]

It is unable to float but can ford water up to its seat.

[@Kharkovkid]

"They must not take the Bun and Barrell from me!!!..."

[@VLADIMIR007ISH]

How much??

[@e.sannicolas5939]

Facebook says this content is Abusive ans I cant share it, how and why please?

[@rogerwhite9484]

Its possibley catagorized that vvay because the Nazis used it, even though it lacks the svvastika in the palm tree & this particular "bike" could've been one of those made after the vvar as the NSU factory kept making them til about 1952 & marketed them as Farm Tractors ( the original reason they vvere designed ) . See if they'll allovv you to share a video about the vvartime BMVV K750 or any old Volksvvagon "Thing" videos as the "thing" of course is a kublevvagon (sp?) or any Ural videos, you can report the Ural videos or Volksvvagon videos as a protest as BOTH are vvere directly developed from the "Nazi" originals. Personally I found nothing in this video offensive. & I'll gladly claim to be OFFENDED by this blatant discrimination against motorcycle history that'd make youtube Anti-Biker/Motorcyclist !!! & THAT should be spread all over social media .

[@e.sannicolas5939]

@@rogerwhite9484 I totally agree with you these snow flakes and Facebook are treating the KettenKrad as if it is alive, just like they treat guns, these are just tools and cant kill on their own.

[@rogerwhite9484]

@@e.sannicolas5939 good 2 hear back from you, if you do vvant to try & protest this I & probably quite a fevv other vievvers vvill back you on this . Its a shame that a simple informative video that covers a historic vehicle is being treated like it vvas a video of neo-nazi rhetoric speeches . YT started by demonitizing a lot of videos but ovvners kept them up & vievvs kept happening . Its almost as bad in real life that freedom of speech is taking a pounding due to some people complaining that someone elses speech is offensive & therefore should be banned . I'm sorry ,, I kinda passionate about the preservation of our constitutional freedoms & rights as certain people get this crazy idea that because they've been offended by something that the very lavvs of the land have to be changed . At this rate some idiot vvill claim he's offended by other peoples farts & it'll lead to everyone having to vvear mandatory but plugs so that nobody vvill have to smell another persons gas . I knovv thats crazy ,but its vvhat this " I'm Offended" BS vvill lead to.

[@robbygee2539]

Facebook is abusive... Get off it and move to another platform.

[@i_am_chunker8590]

Can i buy one

[@rmoe701]

Dog tail at 2:03 ftw~ LOL!

[@thehigherman9918]

I need that vehicle, but what licence do I need to drive it?

[@JoeKurr5]

The higher man motorcycle I believe

[@pramendrameena8647]

But driver is not save on this bike

[@martypig7308]

How expencive and where can I get one?

[@dangerjoe8911]

About 50.000 bucks if you're lucky

[@robbygee2539]

@@dangerjoe8911 $150,000

[@dangerjoe8911]

@@robbygee2539 I've deen them for 50.000€

[@RainbowConure]

How much does it cost??

[@JoeKurr5]

Michael Wittmann on tanksco it costs 21 thousand

[@rocksteel44]

...WHAT'S IT COST???

[@robbygee2539]

$150,000 ball park.

[@minus148]

Denim shirt,check, vest,, double check,,, every one's motorcycle uncle guy..

[@nakazatoGTR]

Tier 0.5 scout vehicle.

[@dantemoi7788]

Ese vato es fan de shoujo shumatsu ryokou Aunque este vídeo sea de otro año xdxd

[@dodisetiawan1309]

Deutsche Africa corps..vehicle army

[@MindRiot395th]

During the war a lot of people probably did ;p

[@JoeKurr5]

MindRiot666 *died but yeah probanly

[@Stormeris]

I'd totally give away a kidney for it ;D

[@toomanyaccounts]

search around there is a guy in like the midwest makes repros and total cost is under 20k

[@bipedalbob]

Very annoying drumming in the background, like having a fly in the room, interesting topic so I suffered through but wouldn't do it again, must be just me doesn't seem to bother anyone else.

[@scouseaussie1638]

Crappy background music

[@吉野真琴]

おはよう(=゜ω゜)ﾉ

[@Jakir982]

By soviets? da fuk.

[@dannyo3317]

It looks like it was painted over old chipped paint.

[@tonnymalero6316]

High and low plus 6 speed that makes 12 speed vehicle from 1939 Germany lol

[@painmagnet1]

He misspoke. It's got three forward gears and a two speed transfer case.

[@SaadouneZinji]

why restore this old junk? so that some rich guy can boast he owns a restored war machine?

[@boerharms2209]

+said jellouli its not junk its a piece of history!

[@leecrt967]

said jellouli Clinton Supporter?

[@triumphant39]

Regardless of your opinion of rich people, why would you be salty that an antique was restored? Are you one of those christian moms of america or commie hippies that want war relics destroyed just for the hell of it? Probably.

[@vashj212]

said jellouli why so bitter.. why not have ur own motorccle.

[@BenHarrison472]

Lee Crt you can bet on it

[@legionr7172]

Girls' Last Tour