Posted on 12/09/2006 1:06:56 PM PST by martin_fierro
Phat chopper
The Nehmesis' chunky back tire is the largest ever on a motorcycle.
By JOHN GITTELSOHN
The Orange County Register
Harley-Davidson has ruled the world of choppers seemingly forever.
But a bike customized from a Star Cruiser by Yamaha Motor Corp., which has its U.S. headquarters in Cypress, broke the lock.
The Nehmesis, built by Sam Nehme, a Florida motorcycle customizer, was the first non-American bike to take the top prize in the American class at the 2006 Biketoberfest Rats Hole in Daytona Beach, Fla.
"It was huge," said Nehme, whose chopper will join hundreds of the newest, fastest and shiniest motorcycles at the Long Beach Convention Center this weekend for the 2007 model Cycle World International Motorcycle Show.
< -- SNIP -- >
Cost:$250,000
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
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f'uggly bike. looks like the bars would impale your hands in hard stop.
(you ask me, though, it's a tiny pee-pee thing)
The first person to respond with the trite and sophomoric comment "donorcycles" on this thread is an absolute dimwit. There, got that out of the way.
~ Blue Jays ~
It would be fun to ride on the boulevard or during a parade. That kind of low clearance must be a hassle in day-to-day normal riding. It definitely looks pretty wild.
Looks like a pretty neat roadkill collector there between the forward controls...
hit a pothole and it'll be a tar plow.
What useless piece of ~ ~ ~ What good is it, ya can't ride it.
The bike could not be made to countersteer (would not lean in a turn), so it could only be safely turned at 10 mph or so, max. (It steered like a trike, but without the relative stability).
It was, (like this bike appears to be) great for going straight or on a road with very gentle turns, but forget doing anything with real curves.
Fun to play with at a run, but nothing I'd want to drive there.
Note, though that that tire was not rounded off like a motorcycle tire, but had pronounced corners where the sidewall met the tread--it was not designed to be used on a motorcycle. The bike had no kickstand, either--it stood on its own.
Just from the appearance of this bike, with the long wheelbase and fork angle, it would go straight well, and tend to be stable as long as it did not frame out on anything, but the bit about it not turning well is probably a masterful understatement. I would think that as long as the rear tire was intended to be used on a motorcycle, it would not have as much affect on handling as the chassis configuration.
LOL! My favorite bike sits so low the front pipe hasn't been round since the first ride. Right turns are done from the left side of the lane, and at max leave a pretty spark trail at night...
If it were not a hardtail, it would not be rideable, and I am always aware of the road ahead (partly because it is a hardtail).
I only ride with people who know and understand those limitations, too.
LOL...
reminds me of the 60's monster car and bike shirts and toys
Needs Rat Fink in there somewhere. Respects to Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.
Thanks.
Any anyone else want to chime in on this?
As a motorcycle, silly. As folk art, not so bad... but very much of the Rat Fink school.
Looks pretty,... pretty unrideable.
Still....shows a lot more customizing moxie than what I've seen on that OCC series....
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