Monster Fricken Motorcycle...beautiful

I am so fricken stoked over this particular blog. I didn’t have any trouble falling asleep last night, noooo I’m not that kind of stoked about it! But when I saw the factory webpage on this bike, well….my admiration for the machine overtook my sense of practicality. I just have to write about it. I have to show you guys, exactly what makes me smile when I imagine myself in traffic, with soccer Mom’s SUV next to me…knowing that she has never seen any fricken thing as intimidating as this monster! To really make matters all that much better…it’s design appears flawless! Most monsters are not all that good looking. Take for example, Quasimodo, a monster that only his mother and an outcast woman could love. Or how about Bigfoot, Nellie the Loch Ness Monster…oh oh…wait just a minute here. All these examples are or have been on the endangered species list. Poor Quasi…if I remember correctly…was murdered by the French…cuz he was kinda ugly…Bigfoot, well we all know his fate if Man were to put a bead on him…huh…maybe riding this monster in traffic wouldn’t be such a good idea after all?

OK, let me clue you into what I’m talking about. Last night as I was wondering what in the heck I was going to write a serious blog about, I came across a website. It’s from Leonhardt Manufacturing somewhere in Germany. The company is headed by Clemens Leonhardt, and his website hails him as a “highly experienced and excellent technician and Master Craftsman.” Once you see the photo shoot of his finished work…you won’t have any qualms with any of the titles his page hangs on his head. I know I don’t.

It appears that Leonhardt Manufacturing specializes in the design and realization of innovative ideas. (I found his website linked to an “idea” or scientific website). Leonhardt’s main emphasis lies in taking seemingly impossible ideas pertaining to the fabrication of motor vehicles, finding innovative technical solutions for them, while at the same time giving them a polished and finished appearance as they make their debut.

Leonhardt uses it’s own in house construction team to produce "manual fabricaton of special vehicle components in the fields of welding, casting, metal shaping and metal cutting." Detail is important to these guys, and it shows on this bike!
OK, so now I have your attention, the name of this new concept bike is: Gunbus, The World’s Largest Motorcyle. Take a gander at this beautiful machine! I’m not just whistling Dixie when I tell you I think this is not a monster, but an excellent example of creative design and production! It’s a beautiful thing to behold.
This bike will be unveiled to the world at the International Motorcycle Fair, Motorradwelt Bodensee 2009, at Friedrichshafen, Germany, January 23-25, 2009. I can’t wait to read what the motorcycle media industry has to say about this bike!
Well, now is the time for some technical data on this bike, check this out!

ENGINE
• 2 cylinder V-type arrangement
• Cylinder angle 45 degrees
• Stroke of piston: 176mm
• Boring diameter: 156mm
• Piston capacity:6728 cm (cubed), 410cu inches
• Compression ration: 8,7:1
• Maximum engine torque: 710 Nm at 1900 RPM

Tranny:
• 3 gear sequential transmission with reverse gear

Clutch:
• 3 disc, sintered meal dry clutch
• Diameter: 140 mm
• Hydraulic operation

Driving Gear:
• Primary driving gear: duplex roller chain, 1”x11/16”
• Secondary driving gear: single roller chain 1”x11/16”

Chassis:
• Steel tube frame; 25CrMo4; TIG welding
• Steering head angle 65 degrees
• Steel tube trapezoidal fork; 25CrMo4

Mixture Control:
• 2 single throttle valves; 70mm diameter
• Sequential fuel injection; lambda-controlled
• Regulated catalytic converter; dual ignition
• Electronic engine management with switch off slip control

Tires:
• Front: 38” diameter; 11” width; Manufacturer RIGDON, Germany
• Rear: 42” diameter; 15” width; Manufacturer: RIGDON, Germany

Braking systems:
• Front: two disks; 310 mm diameter
• Rear: one disk; 310 mm diameter

Lubrication
• Dry sump lubrication

Dimension and weights:
• Total length of vehicle: 3450mm
• Wheel base: 2410 mm
• Total height: 1480 mm
• Total weight, empty/curb weight: 650kg
Subject to technical changes.

WOW….410 cubic inches! Wow…

You’ve waited so patiently for this….here are the photos…you can find 59 photos of this bike shot at superior angles giving you a wonderful perspective of this unusual motorcycle.
http://www.leonhardtweb.de/en/gunbus/design.htm


Fan-fricken-tastic…. While I’m not sure how good it would be on any road other than Interstate….it sure is a finely crafted machine…and I am awed by the craftsmanship that has gone into this beauty! Monster don’t have to be ugly…