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The EASY, an Ultra-Minimalist Motorcycle

This creation from Berlin's Urban Motors should be a cake-taker at the Glemseck festival

By Rain Noe - September 1, 2016

in Cars | Events

Tomorrow is the start of Glemseck 101, a motorcycle festival in Germany with an emphasis on custom rides. If you live in Europe and want to see unique designs on two wheels, you could do a lot worse than Glemseck. And here is what will surely be one of the most unusual bikes in attendance:

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The bike's called the EASY, and it was put together by Berlin-based repair shop Urban Motors. The engine is from a 1964 Jawa 350, a Czech-made motorcycle that, in its heyday, was something like the two-wheeled VW Bug for Eastern Europe in terms of popularity.

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This is no high-performance machine--it's got a single drum brake on the rear wheel only--but more of a design exercise. It's got no lights or blinkers, and I can't even tell if the thing has any form of suspension whatsoever. And the rider's position doesn't exactly look comfortable.

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But darn if it ain't purty.

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The minimalist bike will be competing in a 16-team sprint at Glemseck. With a 350cc-engine racing against competitors of up to 1200cc's, a win isn't exactly guaranteed. But it's sure to be in good standing for the other award, where a panel of judges as well as the public will vote on the best-designed bike.

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And that may be the point. "Those who sprint slowly," Urban Motors' Peter Dannenberg told Bike Exif, "are seen longer!"

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Glynn Kerr

8 years ago

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As a piece of sculpture (which is all most custom show
bikes are), it's exquisitely executed. As a motorcycle, it fails on every level
- most notably because it alienates a motorcycle's most important component. The
rider.

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ADDvanced 1

8 years ago

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You know, I saw the bike, thought "Wow that teardrop gearcase looks like a jawa engine", then read the article.

I am a nerd.

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Veronique Cartier

8 years ago

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It does look amazing. Sure wouldn't ride it :)

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Romano Pinna

8 years ago

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I had the honor to work with those guys years ago when I was building a Ducati for racing. They are in Berlin, and in Germany, the law is pretty clear about having no brakes :) It remains just the question if it makes sense to build a motorcycle just for the stage.

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Jason Pokines

8 years ago

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Cajones aside, I hope the rider also has some oven mitts for his knees. They couldn't have moved the engine just a little farther forward?

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- Jason Pokines
  
  Jason Pokines
  
  8 years ago
  
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  Now that I think about it, moving the engine forward would have two benefits: saving the knees from burns and allowing the knees to squeeze tight against the body for a more streamlined position, and it probably would've allowed better airflow around the cylinder heads. Keeping weight to the rear tire can't be that important, can it?
  
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Jonas Eriksson

8 years ago

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Whether or not you have big cajones before riding it, you certainly won't have it afterwards :)

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Scott Watrous

8 years ago

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Well, if nothing else it's a helluva minibike.

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