from bike to motorbike

[george013]

Already a few year old and the picture itself is not much.
The Skoda factories/museum in Tsjechie. The development from a bike to motorbike. In Holland not so long ago a small motorbike, less then 55cc, was called a bike with help engine. The second requirement was that one could use it as a bike. What about this one? Early 20th century.



The same bike but then from the front. Engines have developed since then.



George

[xpatUSA]

Already a few year old and the picture itself is not much.
The Skoda factories/museum in Tsjechie. The development from a bike to motorbike. In Holland not so long ago a small motorbike, less then 55cc, was called a bike with help engine. The second requirement was that one could use it as a bike. What about this one? Early 20th century.



George

Nice machine - in England, we called them "mopeds", perhaps short for "motorized pedal cycle" ? ...

[DanK]

Nice machine - in England, we called them "mopeds", perhaps short for "motorized pedal cycle" ? ...

Here in the US as well, although I haven't heard the word used in a long time. Then again, I haven't seen one in a long time, which may be why.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[John 2]

Nice machine - in England, we called them "mopeds", perhaps short for "motorized pedal cycle" ? ...

Never thought of that. You learn something every day. Interesting George. I suspect that the drive belt might give you a blister or two if you were careless over where you held your leg.

[george013]

Never thought of that. You learn something every day. Interesting George. I suspect that the drive belt might give you a blister or two if you were careless over where you held your leg.

No, I wouldn't dare to ride that one without the belt being covered.

History is fun. Read the chapter history and Laurin&Klement paragraph. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0...urin_&_Klement

George

[xpatUSA]

No, I wouldn't dare to ride that one without the belt being covered.

History is fun. Read the chapter history and Laurin&Klement paragraph. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0...urin_&_Klement

George

Off topic but speaking of belts, George, long ago I owned a DAF 33, then a 44 and then a DAF 55 with the Renault engine. Fun cars. Do they still have "backward" DAF races ** in Nederland?

** for those who don't know, the DAFs could go as fast in reverse as they could forwards!

[george013]

Off topic but speaking of belts, George, long ago I owned a DAF 33, then a 44 and then a DAF 55 with the Renault engine. Fun cars. Do they still have "backward" DAF races ** in Nederland?

** for those who don't know, the DAFs could go as fast in reverse as they could forwards!

With the variomatic, and the smart stick. And front wheel drive when I remember.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variomatic. I don't think these races are still hold. To less DAF's left.
I never owned one. I used to drive a Deux Chevaux, in Dutch Ugly Duck

George

[DanK]

CVTs and the related PSTs (powersharing transmissions) used in hybrids are now appearing everywhere. All of the cars purchased by my extended family since 2009 have had one or the other.

I always thought that this started with DAF, but apparently not. See this. (The Wikipedia article on the DAF 600 points to an earlier car by Clyno, but the Wikipedia article on Clyno cars has no mention of a CVT.)

[rpcrowe]

I used to ride a bike somewhat like this in Saigon. I don't remember the brand or the name of the cycle but it looked like a very heavily constructed black bicycle. However there was a very small two cycle gasoline motor attached on a rig over the front wheel. Propulsion was obtained with a friction drive which operated a small wheel resting against the front wheel of the bicycle. You could not start the engine unless you were peddling the bike and the drive wheel rotated the bike's front wheel by friction.

As I look back, I realize that riding this contraption in the absolutely hectic and crazy Saigon traffic was probably every bit as dangerous as being in combat. However, as a young guy, I thought that it was thrilling and fun to pit my riding skills against the traffic!

I think that I gave two cartons of cigarettes and a couple of cans of hair spray (hair spray was great currency on the black-market) for that bike. The guy that I sold the bike to when I left from that assignment eventually crashed it in the traffic and ended up with a pretty badly shattered leg.

[george013]

I used to ride a bike somewhat like this in Saigon. I don't remember the brand or the name of the cycle but it looked like a very heavily constructed black bicycle. However there was a very small two cycle gasoline motor attached on a rig over the front wheel. Propulsion was obtained with a friction drive which operated a small wheel resting against the front wheel of the bicycle. You could not start the engine unless you were peddling the bike and the drive wheel rotated the bike's front wheel by friction.

As I look back, I realize that riding this contraption in the absolutely hectic and crazy Saigon traffic was probably every bit as dangerous as being in combat. However, as a young guy, I thought that it was thrilling and fun to pit my riding skills against the traffic!

I think that I gave two cartons of cigarettes and a couple of cans of hair spray (hair spray was great currency on the black-market) for that bike. The guy that I sold the bike to when I left from that assignment eventually crashed it in the traffic and ended up with a pretty badly shattered leg.

Solex probably. Or the Dutch variant Berini.

George