Motorized Freak of the Week: The KettenkradBy Brian Lohnes Posted 04/24/09
We’ve been hung up on the military vehicle genre for the last few Freaks of the Week, but that’s because there’s so much weird and cool stuff out there to look it. Here’s one more: the German Kettenkrad, or as we like to call it, the doomsday motorcycle. This is what you get when you cross a tank with a trike.
The vehicle was originally intended to be a light tractor for troops to use for pulling cannons or other guns through tough terrain. Its major design feature was that it would fit in the cargo hold of a plane and could be transported with relative ease and dropped into remote locations.
You’re wondering how the guy driving or riding this thing steered and we wondered the same thing until we learned that the handle bars were linked into the track brakes and moving the bars would engage the brake on the desired side, causing the vehicle to steer.
NSU built these things and they were powered by a water-cooled, 1.4 liter Opel four banger. The motor made 70 hp and was able to move the tank/trike with aplomb as it could go more than 40 mph. It had three forward speeds, reverse, and a normal single-plate clutch. It weighed in at 3,400 pounds.
The machine could climb great angles and was used pretty extensively on the eastern front of WWII. Through the course of their production, which ran even after the war ended (for use on farms), more than 8,000 were produced.
We want one bad.
Comments + Post your comment!
Written by dieselgeek Apr 27 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tHfS5gFgfo&feature=related
Looks to me like the front wheel works pretty good for steering. That things badass!
Written by Mike-Casella
Apr 26 2009
[quote author=Schtauffer link=topic=11710.msg229700#msg229700 date=1240606449]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsWl1l632N4
[/quote]
Catchy tune, but tough to dance to.
Written by dagenesta
Apr 24 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsWl1l632N4
Written by fahrenschnell
Apr 24 2009
So Cool.....But like Reb said....The front tire is useless.
Seth
Written by tiresmoke!
Apr 24 2009
Looks like it could've been called Teddy Roosevelt......[i]rough-ridin' sumbitch[/i].
I'd use it for crowd control...and kids that leave their damn bikes where I tell'em not to.... ::)
Written by malc
Apr 24 2009
[color=blue]Looks like the most uncomfortable piece of machinery anyone had to sit astride.[/color] >:( >:(
Written by Rebeldryver Apr 24 2009
I built several models of these things when I was younger. Read about them too. Always wondered why they bothered with the front tire. It's basically useless for steering.
Written by Blazerteam Apr 24 2009
There are lots of gold seekers that have tried to buy one of those over here.Norway where under the Germans ,and a lot of their equipment where spread all over the country after the war.There are still farmers that have one in a barn somewhere.
Written by BangShift Forum Admin Apr 24 2009
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Motorized-Freak-of-the-Week-The-Kettenkrad.html
Written by Blazerteam May 14 2009
Another vid.
http://www.sportbilen.se/page.php?id=45377