Comments on: 1922 Megola Sport http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle Custom motorcycles and cafe racers Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:35:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: w http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5257 w Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:06:55 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5257 @sikorsky

Leyat produced propeller powered cars from 1919 to 1925.
They ever got one up to 170+kph

]]> By: sikorsky http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5165 sikorsky Sun, 04 Jul 2010 17:01:28 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5165 @WRXr: rotary engines did not disappear from aviation so soon. At least in Central Europe they were in wide use in lightweight planes since 1980s. But still, the Megola is one curious example of mixing aviation technology with onground vehicles… much less like the infamous propelller-powered cars (can’t remember the proper name now). I found a mention in my sources that Megola had its own racing team, and it was even successful, albeit only moderately. I wonder how this thing worked during the races… :)

]]> By: Pete http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5149 Pete Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:54:26 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5149 Riding a bike without a clutch sounds hard, but it isn’t too tough. Traffic stops are the major headache, but once on the open road, the bike will just sing along. Early motors had low compression ratios, about 4:1, so it is pretty simple to paddle away from a stop with your feet, drop the exhaust valve, and the motor will light up and pull you away.

ciao,
pete

]]> By: Don http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5148 Don Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:04:06 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5148 What a beautiful machine. And with what is esentially a monocoque frame, this motorcycle was way ahead of its time for 1922. And in many ways it still IS ahead of its time, even for today. As I recall Cycle World magazine did a one-off monocoque custom street bike back in the 70s. Powered by a 2-stroke twin, it made their cover.

]]> By: WRXr http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5145 WRXr Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:03:27 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5145 Always thought this was a beutiful design…except for the engine, which shows something of the obsession with aviation after the first world war. As impressive as this implementation is, having so much unsprung weight and gyroscopic force in line with the steering must have made turning very interesting. A big effort on a technological dead end. Rotary engines would soon disappear from airplanes too, so no reason to implement them on ground vehicles.

However, this idea may be making a come back….with electric bikes. Already most of the electric scooters you see running around Asia use hub motors…albeit in the back, and also with a weight many factors less this rotary engine.

Still one has to wonder:

1. Why didn’t they put the rotary engine on the back wheel?
2. Did anyone ever make a special that had rotary engines both fore and aft?

That could be REALLY interesting.

]]> By: carn http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5144 carn Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:11:06 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5144 Beautiful machine, innovative. Another good reason to look back… in order to go forward…

]]> By: monkeyfumi http://www.bikeexif.com/megola-motorcycle#comment-5143 monkeyfumi Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:53:38 +0000 http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=10434#comment-5143 It looks like a streamlined postie.

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