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2 Wheels and 200 MPH

Today, you can walk into most major motorcycle dealerships, and purchase a motorcycle that will do 200 MPH. You even have your choice of options from among multiple brands. These are not super exotic homologation specials, they are standard production machines, available to anyone. Back in the 1950s, it was difficult and expensive to find a production machine that would do half that speed. The world was recovering from WWII, and Germany in particular was just getting back into producing cars and motorcycles of higher speeds and displacements. BMW, Zundapp, and NSU were competing in the showrooms and on the racetrack for dominance. At that time, success on the track was the primary advertising material to get buyers into the showroom. And it worked. One area left dormant since before the war was the motorcycle land speed record. It was still held by a BMW from 1937. NSU siezed an opportunity and established a new record of 180.10 MPH (289.85 KPH) in 1951 with Wilhelm Herz aboard blasting down the autobahn. With 200 MPH in sight, there were several attempts by a variety of manufacturers over the next 5 years, but they all fell short.

Until 1956. The 1951 record had stood for 4 years before being eclipsed by a Vincent, and then by a Triumph in 1955. NSU decided to go all out in reclaiming it in 1956, and sent a well-equipped team of machines, spares, and mechanics to the Bonneville Salt flats that July. They brought 6 machines with engines all based on their very successful GP racing RennMax and RennFox machines. The 500cc (actually 499cc) machine was dubbed the Dolphin III as the most recent version of the original Delphin that broke the land speed record back in 1951. The 350cc and 500cc models were supercharged parallel twins, but with an interesting historical twist. The superchargers used a troichordal rotor on a fixed shaft in a figure 8 style chamber. If this sounds familiar, it is because it was the precursor of the wankel engine. The engine was an overhead cam with bevel-drive, fed by a single Amal carburetor. Soichoro Honda himself had been by the factory the prior year to take a look At what NSU was doing with production machines given their performance in the lightweight classes in GP racing.

Back to Bonneville. The Delphin (Dolphin) moniker was due to the streamlined shape of the fairing which produced a miserly 0.19 coefficient of drag. In fact, the major challenge was keeping the machine on the ground at speed, and weights were added strategically for this purpose. The seating position placed the pilot low, and was dubbed the “hammock” position. On the salt flats, it was a difficult couple of weeks. Conditions were windy, and NSU had a crash during the 250cc attempt with H.P. Mueller aboard. In fact Mueller was the pilot for all of the record-breaking runs except for the 500cc class. Several crashes or aborted runs took place in other classes as well. However, early in the morning on August 4th, 1956 with Wilhelm Herz once again in the pilot seat, and the winds finally calm, NSU was able to achieve a stunning 211.4 MPH, shattering the previous record by 26 MPH !! NSU had convincingly reclaimed dominance in the land speed arena, and returned home poised for continued success on the track and in the showroom.

#NSU

Eureka!

Finally, after years of work-related cancellations and botched logistics, I make it to the BMW 2002 Mid America event. It is held each year in picturesque Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and has been happening for 19 years! Several good friends over the years including founder Bo Black, chief instigator Mike Pugh, and writer Mike Self, have attempted to get me there, and I have tried. In this case, a combination of business and personal landed me within striking distance, with the car. We would not be denied again.

Doing hours of interstate with the car made me nervous, but it was flawless in the engine department. However, between the lack of upholstery and the wind noise, it is fatiguing. It was happy to jump onto route 23 and enjoy the twisty Ozark mountain roads. The event was a blast and is covered in the main blog.

The event involves a few drives on spectacular roads, and we enjoyed good weather for the most part. The suspension at the rear needs some sorting out, so the sport springs may go on after all. There are a few more things on the todo list, but overall the car performed well. And as a bonus, I won a set of door cards !

Zundapp Citation

IThe Zundapp Citation was clearly a derivative of the Horex Imperator, and was reportedly only branded a Zundapp in order to work around the legal restrictions of the US importer Berliner Motors. The Imperator was a 400cc twin produced in the waning days of Horex before it was purchased by Mercedes (see Horex Motorcycles). The Zundapp version created an oversquare bore and stroke, and overhead cam to reach 452cc and to produce 40 hp. This was enough to market the it as a 500, and claim 100+ mph speeds. Not bad in 1958. It was named the Citation after the triple-crown winning horse.

Despite good quality, performance, and design, timing could not have been worse. The bike was introduced into the teeth of a worldwide recession. On top of that, a series of marketing and legal issues impacted sales in the important US market. The Citation was limited to a 2 year life span from 1958 to 1960.

Platform As Canvas

Somehow, the cars of mid-20th-century Germany lend themselves more than the products of any other nation, to become platforms for Art. Why? I do not know, but there are few production cars from France or Italy, or England, or Japan, or America, that have found themselves used so much as a conceptual or a literal canvas. Contrast this with the Janis Joplin Porsche 356, the Andy Warhol BMW M1, or the political-environmental-philosophical platform (wanted or not) that is the VW Bus. This is an ongoing tradition with Porsche RSR Pink Pig, with Audi commissioning an RS4 art car back in 2007, Opel Adam art cars, and even a Mercedes Benz Metris van!. While BMW deserves credit for the long-running official commissioning of art cars, all other German manufacturers seem to have embraced the concept. And long before the manufacturers, people were doing the same as an expression of their individuality, or as experimentation with a new mobile medium, the car. For a country so well known for its engineering prowess, it is an interesting contrast.

Few would argue, though that as a platform for art, the VW Beetle is king. Perhaps because it is ubiquitous with over 21 million sold. Perhaps because it is universally understood and transcends languages and continents. Perhaps because they are as cheap and available as actual canvas. Perhaps because from the beginning, they were the basis for many different manifestations.

Almost all of the VW air-cooled vehicles came from the Beetle. The Bus is famously a lengthened and reinforced Beetle chassis. The Thing, the Fastback, the Notch, the Ghia, the Fridolin, etc were really all modified re-bodied Beetles. Then there are the variations made by VW and other manufacturers. The Amelia Island Concours recently had a class just for this category. It featured versions by Rometsch, Dannenhauer and Stauss, and Hebmuller. What was not featured, was a Porsche 356, which is perhaps the most obvious variant, owing to their common designer, Ferdinand Porsche. Then there are the later variations on the platform like the Puma and the Beach Buggy, and inumerable kit cars. The list goes on.

But back to art. Commercial art has long taken notice of the Beetle as well. It is often turned into a mouse or a Bug or spider by exterminators, or into a taxi, or a unique delivery vehicle of some kind. It gets used positively and negatively to depict a slower pace, or hippies, or simplicity, or a bygone era. The headlights get eyelashes, the bumper becomes an accentuated smile, or the whole thing becomes a Transformer. I won’t even delve into the many applications of the Beetle that Hollywood has found, except for one word. Herbie.

For the more commonly used canvas, you need go no further than your regional VW show. You will still see variations you have not seen before. In a field of dozens or hundreds of cars, few if any will have an identical twin. Structure, drivetrain, paint, interior, and wheels, seem to create an infinite number of permutations. You laugh and grimmace and admire and stare slack-jawed at the pieces in this outdoor gallery. It is truly an art show with the VW as the canvas. The people’s choice award is as much about artistry as it is about anything else.

The Beetle is a universal canvas in the way that a BMW 3.0CS could never be. You can probably find a disintegrating one to use as sculpture somewhere near you. You can use just the shape, or a rear decklid, or a fender, or a hubcap, and everyone will know what you mean. It works as a stick cartoon, and as a fine art oil painting. It can evoke an era, or it can evoke a whole drag-racing class. Usually in art, you want to stay away from an icon, but in this case, a new VW Beetle based car could be driving around your town, or screaming down your local drag strip tomorrow. And a new VW Beetle art car could easily be in the world’s finest museums that same day.

#VW

Two Teutonic Transformations

Recently we offered a post that was titled Old is the New New. Well nothing says old like a BMW boxer. A basic design from 1923, that even eschewed water cooling until 2014. However, the new machines are packed with modern technology, and compete with the best the world can produce. Indeed, with the RNineT, BMW itself is mining its past and producing retro machines. They are inspired by artists and artisans that, much like Harley Davidson’s knucklehead community, see the boxer as a timeless platform that can be forever re-imagined. We recently had the opportunity to spend some time around two excellent samples. The heart of the machines is pure BMW, but the creations come from Japan, and America.

“Nostalgia” states its’ case with the name, and was created by NMOTO Studio. It pays direct homage to the BMW R7 of 1934, which was shown as a prototype, but never actually produced. It is considered by many to represent the pinnacle of Art Deco motorcycle design. Nostalgia is based on the new RNineT platform, but it is all about the beautiful bodywork. NMOTO has done a great job of incorporating most of the design elements from the R7. In particular, the fenders and the tank side panels and the exhaust, combine to fool the casual observer into thinking a priceless prewar motorcycle was on display. The headlight nacelle and the paint are similarly convincing. The big disc brakes and valve covers are the main visual cues that this is a modern creation. Other than that, it successfully evokes the pressed steel frame and Art Deco aesthetic that the R7 represented. The best part is that you can have your own Nostalgia. It is in limited production and is sure to stop traffic and dominate your local bike show.

“Departed” takes a different approach. It is a custom built one-off commissioned by BMW Motorrad, and created by Uichi Yoshizawa and Yoshikazu Ueda of Custom Works ZON. It is all about the engine, which is reportedly a BMW Motorrad prototype. If the engine is a mere accessory to the body on Nostalgia, then the rest of the bike is an accessory to the engine on Departed. It dominates the motorcycle, and the duo uses the valve covers and alternator cover and the rear wheel center, to evoke its own Art Deco theme. This is complemented by tank and side covers and a breast plate all in metal finish, and reminiscent of a WWII fighter plane. Even the stubbed exhaust and trellis frame add to that image. This is a good thing, as it is designed to be a land speed racer, complete with rear sets, minimalist seat, and no lighting. And in case you think the large wheels create a more modern feel, the fabulous swingarm, the beautiful girder fork and exposed drive shaft will pull you right back to the prewar era. Ironically, Departed has a diminutive front disc brake that would fit inside that of Nostalgia.

A fellow rider joined me in admiring the machines, and at the end asked which one I would have if forced to make a choice. I said Departed because I could see it getting ridden and dirty and still looking every bit as cool. He chose Nostalgia because he said he would not survive the riding position of Departed for very long, and his wife would allow Nostalgia in the living room when not being ridden. We agreed to swap periodically....

#BMW

A Hazardous Switch

There is something about the German approach to turn signals and hazard lights in the sixties and seventies that is worthy of study. Our 66 bus has the mother of all relays controlling everything, so any problem points to that box. BMW motorcycles had a non-conventional turn signal layout for decades after the industry standardized. The former Mercedes 230SE had a wacky combination of relays in series, and the 2002 runs everything through the hazard light switch before going on to more relays. The switch in the car went bad and since it failed in the on position, the previous owner simply removed the turn signal relay to turn them off. Or the relay may have been bad, but either way it was missing.

Since that is yet another $60 relay, I decided to use a hack from the 2002faq forum which allows the use of a common $10 auto parts store relay. It works perfectly, but I still had to pony up for a replacement switch, despite having a non-compatible early version in the parts stash. The end result is working turn signals and hazard lights, so all ends well.

Sebring Vintage Classic 2019

Who can pass up a weekend of vintage racing at a historic track? Not the Classic Velocity crew. The weekend is organized by SVRA, whose motto is “Some people collect art, we race it”. And that motto was in full bloom in early March as competitors and fans converged on the heart of Florida. Perhaps it is the venue, or perhaps the entry fees, but this particular event tends to have more fly-and-drive participants and more expensive cars. There were a lot of “race management” outfits in the paddock, and fewer DIY solo competitors. However, this in turn resulted in more high-end and historic art that was raced. Porsche was by far the most popular marque, but Ferrari and Aston Martin were also well represented.

As always, it is the people that make these events so enjoyable. I had a chance to speak with the owner of the lovely 914 pictured here. The owner did all of the work himself other than paint, trailered it from Phoenix, ran it, wrenched it, and still had time to tell me all about it and swap 914 stories. Commendable indeed. At the other end of the spectrum, I got to spend some quality time with one of the Audi suspension technicians for the WEC LMP car of Tom Kristiensen and Alan McNish. I got up close and personal with the car and changes they had to make to the suspension for the relatively bumpy Sebring circuit. Suffice it to say that there was not a lot of suspension travel on those cars, and not much seat padding either!! It gives you new appreciation for what it must be like to do a multi-hour stint in a car like that. Oh, and the rear suspension arms cost more than the 914 !

There was also a car show sponsored by Hagerty which included an eclectic mix of vehicles from an Austin A35 to a VW Westfalia, to a Ferrari to a Pontiac Grand Safari (one of the largest of the behemoth station wagons of the 1970s). There were enough items of interest to keep any gearhead engaged over a few days, and the access and approachability of those in the paddock made this a special event.

Mega Wrenching

In a spurt of wrenching over a weekend, a number of areas get attention, and a few areas of need are discovered. The progress on the interior continues with the stereo installed and the rear speakers connected. The fronts will be another story since they are not going back into the doors. The rear parcel shelf involved cutting a new one from Masonite, wrapping it in vinyl, and then cutting the 6x9 holes. This area of the parcel shelf was hacked up by the previous owner, just like the doors, so I used the same crude openings. The flasher switch is discovered to be bad, and it fails in the on position, which may explain why the flasher relay was missing. I decided to do the conversion to the common EL13 relay. Worked like a charm, and with the flasher switch wedged in the off position, I actually had turn signals. With the spliced wires for the previous stereo repaired, a number of other electrical gremlins went away as well.

The hood release was a zip-tied cable, which I replaced and returned the system to stock operation. The “driver” quality kidney grill that I got from a 2002FAQ member is actually quite nice and really stands out up front. It will take some getting used to a different look for the nose after 5 years. The center console was modded a bit and test fitted. It is awaiting a few things before final assembly. I replaced the passenger side front turn signal assembly with a better one that I had in the parts stash. A battery tender pigtail, some POR15 underneath the car, cleanup of some rear marker light wiring, and the return of seat belts, completed th work. It doesn’t look any different, but momentum continues....

Highpoints

It was a great day for roaming around the central part of the state visiting some of the highest points in the state with R90/6 Steve as guide. I stopped for coffee at a place in Mt Dora, and ran into Bob, who was quite the airhead encyclopedia, despite quitting riding 10 years earlier. We discussed his progression from R50 to /2 to /6 and finally to an RT !! What are the chances of such a random encounter? !!?

Bitter SC

The Bitter SC was the successor to the Bitter CD chronicled here before (see Sweet Bitter). It entered the market in 1979, even as CDs were still available. Although it was based on the largest of the Opel platforms, the styling was very Italian, and it could almost be mistaken for the Ferrari 412. This was not a bad thing, as it is clearly a handsome coupe. Much of the car was built in Italy, first at OCRA, and then at Maggiore, but eventually by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria. All cars then came back to Schwein, Germany for final assembly or for inspection. The car was powered by a 3.0 or a 3.9 liter inline 6 cylinder., and produced 180hp. or 210hp respectively. It used Bosch fuel injection. Weighing 3500lbs, they used that power to propel the car to an 8.3 second 0-60 time.

Bitter went to great effort to create a premium car, with a luxurious interior including leather and woodgrain. A sedan, and a cabriolet were added in 1981. Just 488 were built, and only a handful came to the US, where they were carried by a few Buick dealers due to a deal with GM. That placement did not help, and US sales were tepid. However, demand was outstripping supply elsewhere, hence the move to Austria for much of the manufacturing. In an interesting twist, Bitter had difficulties with US emissions despite using a US vendor to handle that area. They eventually used a Porsche catalytic converter to solve their issues! They were also up against the rise of the BMW sedan, and other premium offerings. Lastly, the idea of a rebodied car was now primarily the domain of the supercar. No matter how nice it looked, and no matter how well executed, a rebodied Opel was going to be a challenge. Today, the SC from this period remains popular, and the wedge styling has stood the test of time.

#Bitter

How to start your day

Step one wake up. This step is often taken for granted, but it is very important. Make it an early start.

Get on a BMW R75/5.

Find 40 miles of backroads that have little or no traffic.

Get coffee.

The RT Legacy

There are some lessons that I cannot seem to learn. There are many instances on these pages of the CV garage returning over and over again to the same vehicle. My beloved 2002 is a repeat offender, the early 911 is a repeat offender, the BMW GS is a repeat offender, Norton Commandos are repeat offenders, and the BMW RT may be the most offensive of the offenders. 2 R100RTs, an R80RT (still here), 2 R1150RTs, and now a 2nd R1200RT. The only reason that the R1100RT has not made an appearance, is that it is the one RT that I do not care for aesthetically. I like the RT a lot. At least the R bike versions ;-)

Part of the appeal is the mile-munching capability. They are reknown for racking up mileages in the hundreds of thousands. Few cars can say that, and even fewer bikes. Second, they are reliable. which permits the first point. Occasional valve adjustments and quality oil are the primary requirements. Not that they have not had recalls and other issues in the modern era, but few compared to other marques. Third, they are comfortable, which also permits the first. Fourth, they are sporty enough. There are others in the segment that are sportier, but better riders than me have yet to know the limits of a modern RT on a twisty road. They handle well. Fifth, is storage capacity. You have to move to a true luxo-barge like the Goldwing or the K1600 to get any more storage. Sixth is weather protection. A generous fairing protects lower body. The hands are protected by the mirrors which have excellent visibility. They always had a large windshield, but the adjustable ones in the modern area can shield your upper body to the point of staying mostly dry in light rain. Seventh are the electronics. They are more and more sophisticated, but even on my R80RT, the alternator and the accessory plugs were intended to allow the rider to use heated gear and to power radios and auxiliary lights. In position 8 is the headlight. In my opinion, he RT has always had a good enough headlight to leave the machine stock. My R80RT has a pretty good headlight for a 35 year old machine. The R1200RT has a really good headlight, stock. Ninth are passenger accommodations. Once again, true to its roots, the RT shines with a wide comfy passenger seat and rubberized pegs. The top box doubles as backrest. Last at number 10, is suspension. Between reasonable weight that disappears once underway, paralever, and good suspension when loaded with passenger and luggage, the RT never feels unbalanced. In fact, my R1150RT seemed to feel better two-up!

So there you have it. Ten reasons the RT is a fantastic motorcycle from any generation, and the reason that it remains in, and returns to, the Classic Velocity garage.

A Concentric Circle

In another significant milestone, the bus went out for a 20 mile jog. This was the third larger concentric circle following the 7 miles a few weeks earlier, and the trip aro7nd the block before that. For a review of the concentric circles theory you can visit that blog post. The first order of business was to stop for fuel, because the gas gauge read either a quarter of a tank or on reserve or E depending on the incline of the bus. It turns out that the bus only took about 5 gallons of gas so the gauge is clearly somewhat sketchy. It correctly read full after the fill up. The drive was thankfully uneventful, with speeds up to 65 mph, braking was fine, and the only real issue was the idle speed being higher than needed between shift changes and at stop lights. There is a possible smell of fuel on hard right turns that needs further investigation...

Perfect Mileage

Many would describe the perfect day of riding as ideal weather, slightly cool and sunny with clouds here and there, and lovely back roads. Perhaps some dirt if it involves an adventure bike. And so it was that a February day provided all of those ingredients. It was also a chance to check out the new Madstad windshield. In a word, Excellent!

BMW 700RS

If this seems like a good model name for a motorcycle, you are partially right. The BMW 700 was a very important vehicle for the company and we have previously covered it (see BMW 700). In that article, we pointed out that it was a successful combination of a car’s body wrapped around a motorcycle engine. We also mentioned that it enjoyed some racing success with the GT and RS models.

The 700RS was built specifically for hillclimbs, and featured an aluminum space frame chassis bearing little resemblance to the production 700 that shared part of its name. In true testament to the racing ethos of the time, it retained the 697cc motorcycle engine but managed to produce 70 hp from that unit. With a curb weight of just 1213 lbs, it had 100 hp per liter of displacement, and 127 hp per ton. Amazing numbers at the time, and very much aligned with racers like Lotus. It also handled very well given that it was mid-engined, and low and sleek.

The 700RS went on to numerous victories in the early 1960s, piloted by such racing luminaries as Alex Von Falkenhausen, and Hans Stuck.

#BMW

Zweirad Union Type 115/155

Regular readers will know that Zweirad Union was the parent company for several brands, most notably Victoria, Express and DKW, and have been featured several times in these pages. The late 1950s saw the death of many motorcycle producers, and Zweirad had acquired an ailing Victoria in 1957, a dying Express in 1958, and a castoff DKW in 1959. The idea of the new Director Dr Odilo Burkart, was to leverage models and tooling to produce models for all three brands.

One result of this approach was the avant-garde Zweirad Union Type 115/155, produced from 1960 to 1963. The 115 was a Victoria model, and the 155 was the almost identical DKW. They were aimed at younger buyers in an attempt to keep them on a sportier looking two-wheeler rather than going to one of the many affordable small cars that were on the market. The first thing that jumps out at you is the futuristic styling, evoking images of jets and space-age conveyances. The body lines suggest forward motion even standing still, and the chrome finned engine cover contribute a sense of speed. All of this is ironic, given that this is a 50cc 4.2 hp machine. Styling was polarizing at the time, but sales were fairly solid with 13,551 Victorias to 13,345 DKWs over the production span.

The machines became affectionately known as “Blechbanane” or Tin Banana.

#Zweirad-Union #Victoria #DKW #Express

Focus on the floor

A good working session on the floor consisted of removing old bitumastic, scraping, painting with POR-15. One small section got a patch welded in. The result is a nice coated floor. The Russian Kilmat also arrived. It is a well regarded alternative to Dynamat. Stay tuned for application.

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